Law Society's flexible route to solicitor qualification
Those who want to qualify as a solicitor but are unable to commit to moving or commuting to Dublin for six months now have an alternative option.
The Law Society has unveiled a new version of its Professional Practice Course (PPC), to begin next month.
It is specifically aimed at delivering a flexible route to solicitor qualification without the traditional requirement to be onsite at Blackhall Place in Dublin full-time for a six-month period.
Law Society director of education T P Kennedy (small picture) explains 鈥淭he Irish solicitors鈥 profession takes pride in being open and accessible to a wide range of people.
Sheer openness of access
鈥淥ne of the lesser-known aspects of a career as a solicitor is the sheer openness of access to solicitor training.
鈥淚t is already well-established that a successful career as a solicitor can be approached from several different angles, and doesn鈥檛 necessarily require a law degree.鈥
鈥淥ur new PPC Hybrid is the next step in that evolution.
鈥淏y designing the course specifically to suit people based outside Dublin or with existing work, family or other commitments, we have created an exceptionally flexible pathway to the law.
鈥淭his will enable a new generation of people from all over Ireland to qualify as solicitors.鈥
鈥淭his is a learner-centred, blended-learning approach to professional training and we look forward to welcoming trainee solicitors of all educational and career backgrounds who might never have been able to pursue qualification as a solicitor until now.鈥
About the PPC Hybrid
The Law Society鈥檚 new Professional Practice Course Hybrid (PPC Hybrid) combines online lectures with face-to-face tuition to provide a flexible route to practice without the traditional requirement to be onsite in the Law School for an extended period.
Read about the advantages of the PPC Hybrid option, the course structure and learning approach and digital learning resources at /ppchybrid.
The PPC Hybrid will commence with an induction day on 18 December 2019, at which iPads will be distributed and initial online lectures released.
Innovation
The development of the new PPC Hybrid follows the launch of the Peart Commission Report, containing 30 recommendations setting out a vision for the future of solicitor training in Ireland.
鈥淭raining solicitors to meet any and all challenges they will face in their careers is some of the most important work the Law Society does,鈥 said TP Kennedy.
鈥淭he Law Society鈥檚 education model is deeply rooted in the public interest and focussed on the future.鈥
The Peart Commission was convened to develop specific actions following an independent root-and-branch review of the Law Society鈥檚 pre-qualification training by a team of international experts.
鈥淚mplementing the Peart Commission recommendations will have several benefits,鈥 added TP Kennedy.
鈥淚t will further increase access to the profession for trainees across diverse educational, professional and socio-economic backgrounds and ensure the Law Society maintains its prominent position as an innovative professional legal educator globally.鈥