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LSRA group on legal-education reform starts work

The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) has appointed all seven members of a new committee that is working on changes to the current system of education and training of solicitors and barristers. 

The new Education and Training Committee, which held its first meeting last week, was established under section 16 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. 

It will carry out preparatory work on implementing key recommendations made by the authority in its 2020 report to the Minister for Justice, Setting Standards: Legal Practitioner Education and Training.

Dr Don Thornhill is chairing the committee. 

Its full membership is: 

• Dr Don Thornhill (former chair, LSRA),
• Joan Crawford (chief executive, Legal Aid Board),
• Professor Barbara Jemphrey (Institute of Professional Legal Studies NI),
• Dr Clíodhna Murphy (Associate Professor of Law, Maynooth University),
• Dr Conan McKenna (former assistant secretary, Department of Justice),
• Dr Padraig Walsh (former chief executive, Quality and Qualifications Ireland), and
• Ghinlon Wang MRIAI (Assistant Education Director, Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland). 

Standards 

The LSRA’s 2020 report made two core recommendations for: 

• The development of a clear definition of the competence and standards required to practise as a solicitor or barrister, and
• The establishment of a new independent body to lead reform of legal-practitioner education and training, called the Legal Practitioners Education and Training Committee (LPET). 

The LPET Committee, which will require primary legislation, will both set and assure educational and training standards and accredit new and existing legal education and training providers. 

The LSRA’s Education and Training Committee will carry out preparatory work for the introduction of the LPET Committee in the following key areas: 

• The development, as a priority and in consultation with QQI, existing training and other key stakeholders, of competency frameworks for solicitors and barristers,
• The development of the processes that would enable a statutory LPET Committee, once required legislation has been commenced, to accredit new and existing legal education and training providers, and
• An examination of the resources required by the statutory LPET Committee and a report, with recommendations to the Minister for Justice, on a proposed funding model. 

Barriers 

The LSRA says that the Education and Training Committee will also play an important role in helping it to implement recommendations made in its Breaking Down Barriers reports on the economic and other barriers facing aspiring and early-career solicitors and barristers. 

The authority adds that the new committee is working towards completing its work programme within 15 months. 

Chair Dr Don Thornhill said that the group would work on “important structural reforms” in how legal education and training for solicitors and barristers was delivered.