Mayo solicitor praises Law Society access route
The Law Society is inviting applications for its Access Programme which provides financial and practical supports to help people from underrepresented backgrounds to pursue a career as a solicitor.
This is part of the Law Society’s work to widen access to legal education.
The deadline to apply for the next programme cycle is 5pm on Friday, 28 November.
Mayo solicitor Michael Lally, a Law Society Access Programme recipient, shares his experiences of receiving the scholarship and qualifying as a solicitor. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
“The Law Society Access Scholarship Programme was an immense help to me in my path to qualifying as a solicitor. I likely would not have been able to qualify without it.  &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
“I come from a single-parent household. I grew up with the amazing support of my mother and my grandparents. Without their support, I would not be where I am today.  &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
“As I was pursuing solicitor qualification, I was on minimum wage, and while I have always been hard-working, I did not have the means to pay for the solicitor entrance exams (FE-1s) and training course fees.
“The Law Society Access Programme opened doors for me and assisted me greatly in overcoming the hurdles to qualify as a solicitor,” he said. &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Assistance with exam fees &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Lally said he first discovered the Access Programme when he had completed three out of the required eight FE-1 entrance examinations.
“I applied in early 2021 as I knew that I had a chance of being eligible for it.  &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
“My application was successful, which meant that the remaining five exam fees were covered by the Law Society Access Programme. The amount of money it saved me at the time provided me with so much relief and allowed me to focus on the exams at hand.
“I had previously received financial help from my family, but without that help I would have really struggled. Between the Access Programme and the assistance of my family, the financial obstacles in my way were removed and I am very grateful for that.”  &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Assistance while training
Lally added: “Due to my financial situation, I did not have the resources to live in Dublin and try and get a training contract there.
“Thankfully, I obtained a training contract close to home at Dillon-Leetch & Company Solicitors in Ballyhaunis and Galway.
“In 2021, after I completed my FE-1 exams and I secured my training contract and applied for the PPC Hybrid, I re-applied to the Access Programme, and I was accepted again – this was an even greater help to me on this step of the journey.
“My course fees were significantly reduced, and during the hybrid training in 2023, I was able to afford to travel to Dublin for the on-site weekends with the money this saved me.”
Live in family home
“As my training firm was small, I was able to obtain hands on experience and the type of responsibility that has set me up very well as a new solicitor in Michael Moran Solicitors LLP in my hometown of Castlebar, Co. Mayo,” he added.
“Thanks to the PPC Hybrid offering, I was able to live in my family home and keep costs down, while also staying near my family, my partner and my friends. I trained in all areas of general practice, such as conveyancing, litigation, family law and many more areas.  &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
“I believe the Law Society Access Programme is an incredible way to give hard-working budding solicitors the opportunity to qualify, where they may not be able to given their financial circumstances.” &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
Apply now &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
The Law Society Access Programme grant aims to assist students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds by offering practical and financial assistance.
The programme covers the costs of exam and course fees, related travel and overnight accommodation costs, and mentoring and interview assistance.   &²Ô²ú²õ±è;
The programme accepts applications twice a year with applications deadlines in November and May.
For more information and to apply, visit www.lawsociety.ie/education--cpd/Become-a-Solicitor/funding-your-studies or email access@lawsociety.ie.  &²Ô²ú²õ±è;