The following page outlines the procedure for a qualified barrister seeking to register as a student of the Law Society of Northern Ireland (“the Society”). This procedure is for barristers from Northern Ireland, England and Wales and the Republic of Ireland. Barristers from other jurisdictions should contact the Society by emailing registration@lawsoc-ni.org.
Registration with the Society
Barristers wishing to transfer to the solicitor profession in Northern Ireland are required to register as a student of the Society in order to complete a number of modules and, if applicable, a period of in-office employment. Upon successful completion, the student would then be eligible to apply for admission to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland (“the Roll”).
This route is covered under the Solicitors Admission and Training Regulations 1988 (as amended) and the Solicitors Admission and Training (Requirements for NI Barristers) Regulations 1990, both of which are available for download below.
Your application will undergo an initial review by the Admissions Officer and, provided it is complete, your application will then be put before the Society’s Education Committee (“the Committee”) for formal consideration. If approved, we will write to the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (“IPLS”) to confirm your registration with the Society.
Compulsory Modules
You will be required to complete the following IPLS modules:
- Administration of Estates;
Property Law and Practice (PLP): Parts 1 and 2.
You will also be required to complete the following Society modules:
- Solicitors Accounts;
- Professional Conduct;
- Client Complaints;
- Regulatory Obligations (assessed through Reflective Statement).
Pre-Admission Employment
If you have less than three-years’ experience of active practice at the Bar, you may be asked to complete a period of pre-admission employment in a solicitor's office of one year. This is determined by the Committee and will be confirmed with you.
As part of your application, you may request permission from Committee that your module studies and pre-admission employment are completed concurrently.
How to Apply
Application Form
You are required to submit your application for registration by completing the digital form EF7A, available for download below.
As part of this form, you will be required to provide specific information and provide supporting evidence.
Supporting Evidence
- Certified copy of your Call to the Bar Certificate for each jurisdiction in which you have been admitted as a barrister. If you have been admitted as a solicitor or attorney in any other jurisdiction/s, you must also supply a certified copy of your admission certificate.
- Certified copy of your Certificate of Good Standing for each jurisdiction in which you have been admitted as a legal professional. This must be dated within three months of the date of your application;
- A comprehensive and chronological work history document outlining your work experience.
- Two references*:
- Employment reference for your most recent or current period under which you were employed in the legal sector;
- Character reference from a solicitor or barrister outside of your current employment.
Please note, your documents must be certified by a Commissioner for Oaths and confirm they are a true copy of the original. In addition, the certification must include the date and the details of the individual, including their signature, printed name and professional title.
Deadline
There is no set deadline for submission of your application for registration but to ensure availability of a place on the IPLS modules we recommend submitting your application as soon as possible.
Fees
The following Society fees apply to transferring barristers:
- Application and Admission Fee: £150
Payment is required at the point at the point of application via the card payment form linked to the application form.
You should contact the IPLS directly for details as to their fees.
Upon successful admission to the Roll of Solicitors you may be required to hold a Practising Certificate (PC) and Personal Indemnity Insurance (PII), each of which require a fee to be paid to the Society. This will depend on your employment circumstances. If you are in any doubt or have any questions regarding your permissibility to hold a PC or PII, please contact the Society at PractisingCertificate@lawsoc-ni.org.
Restrictions on Practice
All solicitors who are admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland are required to serve a three-year period of restricted practice (three full Practising Certificates) under Reg 7(1) of the Solicitors Practice Regulations 1987 (as amended). This applies whether the individual trained in Northern Ireland or transferred from another jurisdiction.
During this period of restricted practice, a solicitor cannot set up practice on their own account or act as a principal in a firm. Furthermore, the solicitor must act under the supervision of a solicitor who has held a practising certificate for the previous three years.
If a solicitor wishes to act as a principal on their own account or with others within that three-year period, they must apply for a waiver of the period of restricted practice, as per Reg. 7(2)(a) of the said Regulations. This waiver request cannot be lodged preemptively and so can only be submitted after the individual has been admitted to the Roll.
Character and Fitness
The application form contains a number of declarations which you are required to make regarding criminal convictions, insolvency and professional misconduct. If you are unable to make any of these declarations, you should provide full details in the text box provided.
No applicant will be registered if they are an undischarged bankrupt or if they have been convicted of a criminal offence of such a nature as to make their registration undesirable or if for any other reason they fail to satisfy the Committee as to their fitness to be a solicitor.
Please ensure you refer to the Society's Character and Fitness Policy, available below, for full details.
Contact Us
These notes are intended to be a guide only. It is the personal responsibility of each intending student to acquaint themselves with the relevant provisions of the Society's Regulations and requirements.
Please direct any queries to: registration@lawsoc-ni.org
Any queries regarding the IPLS modules should be directed to the IPLS.