Professional Practice Course (PPC)
The Professional Practice Course (PPC) at the Law Society of Ireland Law School is designed to prepare you for work as a solicitor. It is available as an in-person full-time course or a part-time hybrid model.
The full-time PPC commences each September, with the delivery of the core curriculum running until the end of April of the following year (inclusive of examinations and assessment).
During the full-time PPC, trainees are onsite in the Law School attending a mix of lectures, small group tutorials and workshops. The PPC is highly interactive and is designed to equip trainees with extensive future-focused legal knowledge, innovation and technical skills. The programme’s distinguished teaching faculty take trainees through real-life case studies, team-based exercises, and small group discussions to build a detailed understanding of the tools, methodologies and frameworks needed to succeed in the legal sector. Small-group sessions provide opportunities for engagement and encourages peer-to-peer learning through an exchange of thoughts, ideas, and perspectives.
In addition to the core PPC, you will also be required to complete four advanced electives as part of your overall training. Law School advanced electives are offered in May & June of each year.
PPC Core Syllabus
The core curriculum comprises the compulsory element of the PPC and covers the following subjects:
Two-semester courses
- Applied Land Law
- Business Law
- Dispute Resolution
- Professional Responsibility
- Skills
One-semester courses
- Taxation
- Family Law
- The Complete Lawyer
- Legal Practice Irish
The PPC Hybrid commences each year in December, with the core curriculum running until December of the following year. This will be delivered in three separate semesters with courses contained within each semester.
- Semester 1: December to April
- Semester 2: May to July
- Semester 3: August to December
The PPC Hybrid is designed to permit you to stay in employment during the course delivery, with tuition occurring during weekend sessions (Fridays and Saturdays) and on Wednesday evenings. While the delivery of the PPC Hybrid is on a part-time basis, the fact that trainees are working during the course means that the combination of the PPC and the in-office training is intensive.
The PPC Hybrid uses a mix of online and onsite learning. The course structure includes:
- incremental release of recorded online lectures in play on demand mode;
- on-site face-to-face tuition through weekend sessions focusing on skills and small group work for the core written subjects; and
- ‘live’ online tutorials and skills workshops to supplement the onsite small group work.
There are approximately twelve onsite face-to-face tuition weekends, held on Fridays and Saturdays. There are also approximately 9 live online weekends, held on Fridays and Saturdays. Online Wednesday evening sessions will also be held throughout the year.
In addition to the core PPC, you will also be required to complete four advanced electives as part of your overall training.
Trainees on the PPC Hybrid may accrue up to five months credit for in-office training occurring during the PPC. This is in addition to any credit that may apply for in-office training occurring prior to the PPC.
PPC Hybrid Core Syllabus
First Semester: January - April
- Land Law
- Dispute Resolution
- Presentations
- The Complete Lawyer
- Criminal, Family, Tax
- AI
April Exams: Dispute Resolution, Land Law
Second Semester: May-July
- Advocacy
- Law as Business
- Interviewing and Advising
- Negotiations
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing
June/ July Exams: Advocacy Practical
Third Semester: August - December
- Business Law
- Commercial Drafting
- Probate
- Professional Responsibility
- Legal Practice Irish
November/ December Exams: Business Law, Probate, Professional Responsibility
The PPC Modular is delivered across three teaching modules:
- Module 1: December to April
- Module 2: May to July
- Module 3: August to December
The PPC Modular is designed to permit you to stay in employment during the course delivery, with tuition occurring during weekend sessions (Fridays and Saturdays) and on Wednesday evenings.
You are required to commence the programme with Module 1 but have flexibility over when you complete Modules 2 and 3 with a maximum completion timeframe of five years from the commencement of Module 1.
In addition to the three core modules, you will also be required to complete four advanced electives.
While the delivery of the PPC Modular is on a part-time basis, the fact that trainees are working during the course means that the combination of the PPC and the in-office training is intensive.
The Modular PPC combines structured learning with flexible delivery methods, blending online learning with scheduled onsite tuition and practical skills teaching.
The course structure includes:
- incremental release of recorded online lectures in play on demand mode;
- on-site face-to-face tuition through weekend sessions focusing on skills and small group work for the core written subjects; and
- ‘live’ online tutorials and skills workshops to supplement the onsite small group work.
This pathway is designed to support trainees who require a more flexible route to qualification while still benefiting from a structured and professional focused learning experience.
Trainees on the PPC Modular may accrue up to five months credit per year, for no more than 2 years, for in-office training occurring during the PPC Modular. This is in addition to any credit that may apply for in-office training occurring prior to the PPC.
PPC Modular Core Syllabus
Module 1: January - April
- Land Law
- Dispute Resolution
- Presentations
- The Complete Lawyer
- Criminal, Family, Tax
- AI
April Exams: Dispute Resolution, Land Law
Module 2: May-July
- Advocacy
- Law as Business
- Interviewing and Advising
- Negotiations
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing
June/ July Exams: Advocacy Practical
Module 3: August - December
- Business Law
- Commercial Drafting
- Probate
- Professional Responsibility
- Legal Practice Irish
November/ December Exams: Business Law, Probate, Professional Responsibility
At The Law School, trainee life is all about community, growth, and opportunity. Our eLearning Hub is your go-to resource, keeping you on top of your course work with access to timetables, policies, and dedicated support teams. Through PPC Connect - you can join clubs, societies, and social initiatives, or dive into competitions and Street Law projects to showcase your skills. With wellbeing resources, study spaces, and the Vanilla Café, The Law School provides everything you need to thrive on your journey into the legal world.
The core curriculum comprises the compulsory element of the PPC and covers the following subjects:
- Advocacy Skills
- Artificial Intelligence
- Business Law
- Commercial Drafting
- Criminal, Family, Tax
- Dispute Resolution
- Interviewing & Advising
- Land Law
- Law as Business
- Legal Practice Irish
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing
- Negotiations Skills
- Presentation Skills
- Probate
- Professional Responsibility
- The Complete Lawyer
Assessment for the core PPC subjects is primarily by way of open book examinations at the end of the course. The exception is skills which is assessed by way of the Skills Practical and Family Law which is assessed by way of a written assignment.
In addition to the core PPC, you will also be required to complete four advanced electives.
The Law Society, to ensure adequate supervision of you as a trainee solicitor, may provide your examination results to your training solicitor/ training firm.
You will be required to complete four or more advanced electives as part of your overall training. Advanced electives can be taken with the Law School or with approved providers external to the Law School. The Law School offers a suite of advanced electives in May & June each year.
| Advanced Child Law | Data Protection |
| Advanced Dispute Resolution & Litigation | Employment Law |
| Advanced Legal Practice Irish | Healthcare Law |
| Advanced Property & Taxation | Human Rights |
| Aviation Leasing & Finance | Insolvency Law |
| Banking & Finance Law | International Business Negotiations |
| Commercial & Complex Property Transactions | Investment Funds |
| Commercial Contracts | Sports Law |
| Corporate Transactions | Construction Law |
| Criminal Litigation | Mediation Law |
All Advanced Electives run subject to minimum enrolment numbers being met.
The Findlater Scholarship Prize.
The Findlater Scholarship Prize is awarded to the trainee with the overall top combined marks on either the Full-time or Part-time (Hybrid) Professional Practice Course.
Law Society overall prize
This prize is awarded to the trainee with the best overall performance on the PPC (excluding the Findlater winner).
Prizes for individual subjects
The following prizes are awarded for the best performance in certain subjects:
- The Nora White Memorial Prize for the highest result in Applied Land Law
- Law Society Applied Land Law Prize for the second highest result in Applied Land Law
- Law Society Business Law 1st Prize
- Law Society Business Law 2nd Prize
- Law Society Conduct & Ethics Prize
- Law Society Dispute Resolution 1st Prize
- Law Society Dispute Resolution 2nd Prize
- Law Society Family & Child Law Prize
- Law Society Professional Responsibility Prize
- Law Society Skills Prize (full-time PPC) for the top performer in Advocacy
- Law Society Skills Prize (Hybrid PPC) for the top performer in Advocacy
- Law Society Wills, Probate & Estates Prize
- The Attracta O’Regan Prize Memorial Prize for the Future of Legal Practice Summit for the top preforming team.
Prizes for Advanced Electives
- Restructuring & Insolvency Ireland Prize for the highest result on the Insolvency advanced elective
- The Rory O’Donnell Prize for the highest result on the Commercial & Complex Property Transactions advanced elective
- Richard Hammond S C Prize for the highest result in the Advanced Probate advanced elective.
Candidates can apply online for a recheck of any failed examination script within 14 days of the date on which results are released.
The recheck application fee is €150 per examination. If you pass an examination following a recheck, you will be refunded the recheck fee for that examination.
The fee for the core PPC is €12,100.
The PPC application fee is €990.
Please note there is a late PPC application fee of €80 for all application received after the deadline.
The fee for advanced electives undertaken with the Law School is €730 for each advanced elective. However, trainees choosing to take multiple advanced electives with the Law School will benefit from discounts. For example, if a trainee takes four advanced electives with the Law School the fee is €2,675.
Applications for the PPC are accepted twice a year – once for the Full-time Professional Practice Course and once for the Part-time (Hybrid) Professional Practice Course.
Before applying for the PPC you must have passed the Final Examination - Part 1 (FE-1) and secured a Training Contract.
For further information on how to apply for the PPC, fees and deadlines, please see Applying for the Professional Practice Course.
There is a range of bursary and scholarship schemes in operation which may provide you an opportunity to access additional financial support on your journey to Becoming a Solicitor with the Law Society of Ireland, provide you meet the criteria.
Further information can be found at Funding Your Studies.
The Law Society recognises and values difference and is committed to promoting diversity and inclusion for the benefit of all and endorses the principles of inclusive teaching, learning, and assessment.
Reasonable and appropriate accommodations and other supports are determined on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the individual's certified disability/specific learning difficulty. It is important that a formal and timely application is made for such supports so that the appropriate supports can be identified and provided where necessary.
