Welcome to your Admission Ceremony

Becoming a solicitor is no small achievement. After years of study, exams and training contracts, this is the moment it all becomes official.

Your Admission Ceremony is more than a formality — it’s a celebration. It marks your entry into a historic profession, and it’s a chance to pause, reflect, and recognise just how far you’ve come.

Your guests are also very much part of the celebration. They’ve supported you through late-night revision, training pressures, and the many milestones along the way.

Whether you’re attending with family, friends, or colleagues, the day is designed to honour your hard work and welcome you as a member of the profession in Northern Ireland.

Arrival and Registration

When you arrive, you will enter the venue by the Fisherwick Place entrance and then via double doors into the Exhibition Area. There will be a Registration Section where Society staff will welcome you and your guests. Please note, we may not be able to permit entry after 3:00pm.

There is a cloakroom area and toilets to the right before you commence your registration. Once you register, you and your guests will need to request staff to let you exit and return, so it is recommended that you take this opportunity to avail of the facilities before you enter.

It is important that you enter the registration with your guest(s). The registration staff won't have the names of your guest(s) but will have a note of how many guests will be attending with you and if they have any access requirements.

Post Registration

Once you are registered, you will be separated from your guests in order to attend a briefing/rehearsal in the main Assembly Hall. Your guest(s) will be directed to the Conference Suite to avail of some tea, coffee and light refreshments whilst you make your way up the stairs.

After the briefing, your guest(s) will be invited over the venue speakers to make their way to the Hall. If you have declared any access requirements, please refer to the FAQs section below for details.

Seating

When you enter the Hall, you will be directed by staff to your seat. You will be sitting in alphabetical order. A briefing pack with your name and a 2026 programme will be placed on your allocated seat. Staff will conduct a number of roll calls to check you are seated correctly.

We understand you will wish to catch up with colleagues and fellow newly admitted solicitors, but it is vital that you remain in the seat assigned to you.

The Ceremony

The Ceremony itself is a formal event but always intended as a celebratory and respectful occasion. It includes:

• An official welcome from the Senior Vice President (Mr Colin Mitchell)
• An address by the President (Mr Mark Borland)
• Presentation of solicitors by the Registrar (Mr David A Lavery CB) to the President and Lady Chief Justice The Right Honourable Dame Siobhan Keegan
• A formal declaration of admission and keynote address by the Lady Chief Justice. This is the moment you are formally recognised as a solicitor of the Court of Judicature of Northern Ireland.
• Presentation of Society prizes in Solicitors Accounts and the Edward Bergin Prize in Professional Conduct

Crossing the Stage

As noted, you will be seated in alphabetical order and you will cross the stage in this order.

Members of Society staff will indicate to you when you should stand and direct you to the stage. You will exit via the right hand side of the row.

When your name is called by the Registrar, you will commence up the short steps to the stage and progress towards the President who will shake your hand.

You will then approach the Lady Chief Justice, you should bow and shake her hand. She will then present you with a prop scroll.

You will then exit via the far end of the stage (down the ramp). Please look out for Society staff who will direct you. You will then return to your row and sit in the same seat.

Post Ceremony

After the procession party exit the stage and the Ceremony has concluded, you will remain in your seats whilst your guests are invited to exit the Hall so as to avail of some canapés and refreshments.

You will then be invited to take group photographs with the President and Lady Chief Justice. Please see the Marking the Occasion section below for details

Parking

There is no parking at the venue and street parking is limited.

The Society has secured a discount for Ceremony attendees at Value Car Parks (19-31 Grosvenor Rd, Belfast BT12 4GN).

On arrival, please enter as normal and collect your ticket. When collecting your vehicle, please present a copy of your Ceremony programme at the car park office. Value Car Parks will add a discount of 10% (with a maximum of £19.00).

Photographs

You will be photographed in groups of 15-16. Members of Society staff will collect you so please ensure you are aware of your group letter as noted on your briefing pack.

Once you have sat for your photograph, you will collect any belongings from the Hall and exit via the rear doors to join your guests.

There are also a number of pop-up stands and banners at the venue - you are welcome and encouraged to take your photo in front of these to mark the occasion.

Socials

The Society will be posting to our social accounts throughout the Ceremony and in the following days. The Ceremony is also often reported in the press.

We always love to see your posts and photographs celebrating the day. 

To help us like, repost and engage with your posts on LinkedIn, please tag the Law Society of Northern Ireland and feel free to use the tag #LSNIAdmission26

Certificate of Admission

When you cross the stage you will receive a prop scroll - this is not your certificate. After the Ceremony, you will return to the Exhibition Area - here you will see a Certificate Collection desk where you can collect your official Certificate of Admission pack. 

You will need to present a form of photographic ID to the staff in order to collect the pack. You will also be asked to sign it out. 

Please note, we cannot provide you with the pack of a friend or colleague and it cannot be collected by one of your guests.