Fresh access route into solicitor profession
The Law Society is introducing a new solicitor apprenticeship programme this week that will allow school-leavers to train to become a solicitor without a third-level degree.
It describes the initiative, which creates an alternative to the traditional graduate-led route into the profession, as “one of the most significant changes to solicitor training and access to the profession in many decades”.
Designed to broaden access to the profession, the ‘earn-while-you-learn' programme offers another access route for would-be solicitors.
It will be fully accredited by the Law Society and of equal standing to existing qualification pathways.
Expanding access
The solicitors’ representative body says that the apprenticeship programme was developed in response to its strategy to expand access to the profession.
It adds to the existing range of initiatives, which include hybrid training models that reduce the need for trainees to attend courses in person, as well as scholarships and grants designed to remove financial barriers to legal education.
President of the Law Society Rosemarie Loftus said that the new vocational route opened up opportunities for aspiring solicitors from all backgrounds and communities across Ireland.
“Combining high-quality education with paid, practical workplace experience will enable apprentices to develop the knowledge and skills to excel in their legal careers from day one.
‘Next generation’ of solicitors
“This Professional Solicitor Apprenticeship will help develop the next generation of solicitors while supporting law firms across Ireland to attract and retain talented people in their local communities.”
Until now, legal executives and legal clerks were required to have at least five years’ experience before they could pursue qualification as a solicitor.
The new programme allows them to begin that process earlier in their careers.
Expressions of interest open this September, with the first cohort of apprentices expected to start in September 2027.
The email address for anyone with queries about the programme is: solicitorapprenticeship@lawsociety.ie.