The Law Society of Ireland is offering grants of €25,000 to assist smaller firms and practices in rural areas with the cost of employing trainee solicitors.
The Small Practice Traineeship Grant is designed to boost smaller solicitor practices that are located outside the central training hub of Dublin and the urban districts of Cork, Limerick and Galway. It will be available to five firms this year.
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.
“This will offer valuable opportunities to trainee solicitors that may not be able to move away from home for long periods of time, due to family or other commitments.”
The proposed training contract firm must be located outside of Dublin and the urban districts of Cork, Limerick and Galway; be a small firm consisting of five or fewer solicitors; and agree to pay the trainee a minimum of the living wage. The deadline for applications is July 3rd.
