Nearly two dozen Northern Ireland solicitors have been admitted to the roll in Ireland following the Brexit vote, the Belfast Telegraph reports.

The number of UK lawyers applying to practice in Ireland has soared since the June referendum.

According to the Law Society of Ireland, 618 lawyers from England and Wales have been admitted to the roll of solicitors as well as 23 lawyers from Northern Ireland.

Around 15 per cent of lawyers added to the Irish roll have been granted a practising certificate, which is required to practice law in Ireland.

Ken Murphy, director general of the Law Society of Ireland, told the Belfast Telegraph: “It’s completely a Brexit-triggered event that’s taking place now and the solicitors that are doing this and coming on the roll are doing this like cautious lawyers.”

He added: “The Law Society of Ireland has had informal discussions with some of the major international law firms whose England and Wales-qualified solicitors have in recent months been taking out an additional qualification by seeking and gaining admittance to the Roll of Solicitors in Ireland.

“This, of course, is all being done in anticipation of the UK leaving the European Union.”