The following page outlines the procedure for applying for Admission to the Roll of Solicitors in Northern Ireland for Solicitors whose first place of admission was England and Wales.

Application

In order to apply for admission under this route you must complete and submit application form EF5. Please refer to the guidance document EG1 for details on how to complete the form correctly. Both of these documents are available for download below.

The application form contains a number of declarations regarding criminal convictions, insolvency and professional misconduct. If you are unable to make any of these declarations you should provide full details in a covering letter.

The Society's Character and Fitness Policy is accessible by clicking here.

Supporting Documents

You are required to submit a number of supplementary evidence documents and information alongside your application form, details of which are as follows:

  • a Certificate of Good Standing from any and all jurisdictions in which the solicitor has been admitted stating that the applicant is a fit and proper person to practice as a solicitor in Northern Ireland;
  • a certified copy of the applicant's original Admission Certificate from any and all jurisdictions in which the solicitor has been admitted;
  • a description of the applicant's experience since admission, in chronological order
  • two character references, the referees must be solicitors or members of the applicant's professional body of at least five years standing. If the applicant is currently in employment one of the referees must be from his/her current firm.

Fees

The application and admission fee for this route is £150.

Payment should be made via bank transfer. We no longer accept payment via cheque. Bank details are outlined on the guidance document.

Upon successful admission to the Roll of Solicitors you may be required to hold a Practicing 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 pre-emptively and so can only be submitted after the individual has been admitted to the Roll.

Submission

The application and all accompanying supporting documentation should be emailed to admissions@lawsoc-ni.org.

Please allow at least three months for your application to be processed and any subsequent admission to the Roll.