The Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) today published a series of research reports and made recommendations for reforms to tackle economic and other barriers facing aspiring and early career legal professionals and to increase diversity in the legal professions.

The Breaking Down Barriers reports follow an extensive period of research and consultation following a request from the minister for justice for the LSRA to consider the “economic and other barriers that continue to be faced by young solicitors and barristers” as part of its ongoing work to open up the delivery of legal professional training.

The LSRA has made over 32 recommendations to justice minister Helen McEntee, who has promised to publish an implementation plan within the coming weeks.

Dr Brian Doherty, chief executive of the LSRA, said: “The LSRA is committed to playing the fullest role possible in addressing entry barriers to careers in the legal professions and ensuring that early career solicitors and barristers can thrive in their careers regardless of their background.

“The insights provided by the LSRA’s extensive research and consultations highlight enormous opportunities to make things better by changing the way legal professional education and training operates and the way the legal services sector does business.

“The LSRA acknowledges that since it began examining this area, a range of initiatives and reforms have been introduced by the professional bodies for solicitors and barristers, the Law Society of Ireland, The Bar of Ireland and the Honorable Society of King’s Inns. These may in themselves help to alleviate some of the barriers to entry and early career challenges that have been identified in the LSRA’s research.

“We look forward to working with all stakeholders in delivering on an implementation plan to tackle the economic and other barriers that continue to be faced by aspiring and early career legal professionals with the common goal of building a more inclusive and diverse legal services sector.”

Justice minister Helen McEntee said: “I believe passionately that we must do all we can to widen and increase access to education, training, and career opportunities in the legal sector.

“Any person who has the skills and the determination to pursue a legal career should be able to do so — irrespective of their gender, background, ethnicity or means. Indeed, greater diversity and inclusion can only strengthen the profession and enhance the legal system’s capability to serve Irish society.

“The LSRA submitted the Setting Standards – Legal Professional Education and Training Report to me in 2020, which made a number of recommendations to reform professional legal education and training.

“Following on from that publication, I asked the Authority to carry out this report, paying particular attention to equity of access and entry to the legal professions, and the objective of achieving greater diversity within the professions.

“I welcome the report’s 32 recommendations for wide-ranging and meaningful reforms that will make a real difference.”