More options than ever for Offaly residents hoping to qualify as a solicitor: Law Society of Ireland launches new Professional Practice Course Hybrid

Have you dreamed of becoming one of Offaly’s 64 solicitors but are unable to commit to moving or commuting to Dublin full-time for six months?

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 Blackhall Place in Dublin full-time for a six-month period.

Law Society of Ireland Director of Education T P Kennedy explains, “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.” You can read more about that here.

“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 Offaly and all over Ireland to qualify as solicitors.”

“This 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.”

About the PPC Hybrid

The Law Society of Ireland’s 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 https://www.lawsociety.ie/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.

Committed to innovation in legal education

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. More information on the Peart Commission Report is available here.

“Training solicitors to meet any and all challenges they will face in their careers is some of the most important work the Law Society does,” said Mr Kennedy. “The Law Society’s education model is deeply rooted in the public interest and focussed on the future.”

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 T P 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.”