INSIDEBUSINESS Smallpractice traineeship schemeopens

Wicklow’s solicitors firms are being urged to apply for the Law Society of Ireland’s small practice traineeship grant scheme.

This year, the Law Society will award five grants of €25,000 to help smaller firms and practices with the cost of employing a trainee solicitor. The new financial grant scheme has been launched to boost smaller solicitor practices that are located outside the central training hub of Dublin and the urban districts of Cork, Limerick and Galway.

Since 2015, 11 trainee solicitors have been able to work towards qualification in firms throughout Wicklow. Each year, solicitor firms and practices in Dublin account for over 83 per cent of solicitor traineeships. The new grant scheme aims to encourage smaller firms and practices in Wicklow, who may not have been in a position to do so before, to offer a solicitor traineeship contract.

Law Society of Ireland Director of Education T P Kennedy said, ‘Supporting small rural practices with the financial cost of employing a trainee solicitor plays an important role in providing greater access to the profession for trainees from rural and diverse backgrounds.’

‘ There are sole practitioners and smaller practices in almost every small town in every corner of Ireland. The Small Practice Traineeship Grant can offer a trainee solicitor the opportunity to stay in their local community, without having to relocate to Dublin.’

Each grant will provide funding of €18,000 to the training firm over the course of the two-year training contract. Funding of €7,000 will be given to the trainee solicitor by way of a discount on the Professional Practice Course I (PPC I) fee, to complete the required educational training at Blackhall place.

‘ The introduction of this scheme is part of the Law Society’s strategic plan to make significant changes to solicitor training with a focus on diversity, inclusion and student-centred delivery,’ Mr Kennedy said.

The proposed training contract firm should be located outside of Dublin and the urban districts of Cork, Limerick and Galway; be a small firm and agree to pay the trainee at least the living wage, currently €12.30 per hour.

The deadline for applications is Friday, July 3.Applications forms are available by visiting: www.lawsociety.ie/traineeshipgrant.