The Law Society of Ireland has launched a new version of its Professional Practice Course (PPC), beginning in December 2019. It is specifically aimed at delivering a flexible route to solicitor qualification without the traditional requirement to be onsite at its home base on Blackhall Place, Dublin.

Increasing access

Law Society of Ireland Director of Education, T P Kennedy explained “The Irish solicitors’ profession takes pride in being open and accessible to a wide range of people. One of the lesser-known aspects of a career as a solicitor is the sheer openness of access to solicitor training. It is already well-established that a successful career as a solicitor can be approached from several different angles, and doesn’t necessarily require a law degree.” Mr Kennedy said “Our new PPC Hybrid is the next step in that evolution. By 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. This will enable a new generation of people from all over Ireland to qualify as solicitors.” He added, “This is a learner-centred, blended-learning approach to professional training” which may attract people from “backgrounds who might never have been able to pursue qualification as a solicitor until now.”

Peart commission

The 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. It will commence with an induction day on 18 December 2019, at which iPads will be distributed and initial online lectures released. 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. The Peart Commission was convened to develop specific actions following an independent root-and-branch review of the Law Society’s pre-qualification training by a team of international experts. “Implementing the Peart Commission recommendations will have several benefits,” added Mr Kennedy. “It 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.”