The deadline for submission of Practising Certificate (PC) applications, together with full payment of fees, is Wednesday 1 February.
Helping you to renew
To assist members with the online renewal, the Law Society has provided a video tutorial along with dedicated email and telephone facilities. The deadline for submission of your Practising Certificate application, together with full payment of fees, is Wednesday 1 February 2023.
Guidance notes
All persons who make an application for a practising certificate, qualifying certificate or an application for a solicitor in the full-time service of the State complete a statutory declaration at the end of their application stating they have read and understood the Guidance Notes provided with the application. The Guidance Notes will answer many of the most common queries including where a solicitor is only practising for the month of January, queries about invoices / purchase orders and what happens if you apply late.
Complete your application
Please remember:
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A complete application consists of a completed PC application and payment, either by EFT or by debit/credit card.
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No hard copy documentation needs to be sent to the Society by ordinary post.
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Bank transfers must be received by the Society, not just issued from your bank account, on or before 1 February 2023.
Service of State and Qualifying Certificate Applications
Applications for both solicitors in full-time service of the State, and those seeking Qualifying Certificates, should also be submitted online.
Your Dashboard
Members can monitor the progress of their PC applications on the My Applications page of their dashboard. Members are able to view the progress of their application by logging into their account via the Society website.
Society staff cannot access individual accounts so if a member has a query they should first log into their account dashboard, which contains most information required to answer standard queries. Account dashboards also permit members to:
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Download a copy of their application;
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Reopen their application;
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Change their payment option.
Please be advised that if an application is reopened, members must ensure that the application has been re-closed and resubmitted: otherwise it will not be listed in the Society’s system for processing. If your application has the status “Application Incomplete” you must ensure that you return to your application, complete and submit it.
Payments
There is no need to send your EFT payment receipt or any other documentation to the Society by ordinary post. Instead, firms can download the EFT payment form and email it to pc@lawsociety.ie.
If your firm is paying for your PC, please select Pay by EFT as your payment option and then select My Firm is Paying.
Further information on PC forms can be found in the PC renewal area of the Law Society website.
If you experience any difficulty with making a payment by EFT or credit/debit card, please contact the Society’s web support team at webmaster@lawsociety.ie.
Membership of the Society
Almost all firms take out membership of the Law Society as part of the PC renewal process.
Membership entitles you to a wide range of exclusive services, including access to the Gazette, the Law Directory, our Library services, and our confidential LegalMind mental health service. Other member benefits include access to the practising member logo, and a chance to have your say in matters affecting the profession through the AGM and Council Election.
Solicitors who are admitted and enrolled for over 50 years are entitled to free membership. If you are eligible, this reduction of €85 is automatically reflected in your Practising Certificate fee.
Non-practising solicitors can also renew their membership online.
Practising Certificate Finance Scheme
If your firm wishes to fund the cost of Practising Certificates over 11 months, it can do so by availing of the very competitive finance scheme provided by Bank of Ireland.
Life Assurance Scheme
Each Practising Certificate provides life assurance cover of €62,500 for solicitors under the age of 70. This scheme has benefited the families of a great number of solicitors over many years. If you are not eligible for the scheme, a reduction of €64 is automatically reflected in your Practising Certificate fee.
Solicitors in the full-time service of the State who wish to avail of this life assurance cover must take out membership of the Society and also pay the premium of €64 during the month of January 2023. If you apply after January 2023, you must complete an underwriter’s health declaration.