Two trainee solicitors from Belfast firm Tughans will fly the flag for Northern Ireland in Canada after winning the regional heat of the Brown-Mosten International Client Consultation Competition.

Ellen Forester and Nichola Coghlan, currently enrolled at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies (IPLS), triumphed in the prestigious contest hosted by the Law Society of Northern Ireland.

They saw off competition from the School of Law at Queen’s University Belfast (QUB), Ulster University and the Graduate School of Professional Legal Education.

The Tughans trainees will now travel to Ontario on Wednesday 27 April to compete against teams from over 20 countries across the globe.

James Donnelly, partner at Tughans, said: “Client consultation is an incredibly important aspect of any solicitor’s job.

“This competition really focuses on the skills necessary to relate well with clients, to understand their needs, to analyse their situation from both legal and non-legal perspectives and then to provide solutions. We recruit high quality graduates and assist their personal and professional development, and are delighted that Ellen and Nicola’s achievements to date reflect the value of our in-house training.

“We wish them every success representing the firm and Northern Ireland in Canada.”

The Louis M Brown/Forrest S Mosten International Client Consultation Competition was initiated in the 1960s by Los Angeles lawyer Louis M Brown to address the failure of traditional legal education to include the essential skills of interviewing and counselling. Each participating country sends one team.