Richard Hammond SC

A total of 538 new trainees started the two-year process of qualification in 2021 (PPC I), with a significant majority (61 per cent) of them being women. Across the PPC I, PPC II and PPC Hybrid courses, there are 1,042 trainees in the system, the highest number in 10 years.

Richard Hammond SC, chair of the Law Society’s education committee, said the figures included in a new report are “clear indications that pathways to becoming a solicitor are increasingly accessible”.

There are 109 trainees attending the flexible PPC Hybrid, a 50 per cent increase on 2020, and 184 individuals are participating on the Law Society’s access scholarship scheme, which provides financial support throughout the training period.

The Law Society’s small practice traineeship grant, which was launched in 2020, has so far provided a total of €250,000 to 10 trainees to enable them to undertake their training contract in their local communities.

In total, there were 22,945 solicitors on the Irish roll at the end of 2021. There were 876 solicitors admitted to the roll over the course of the year, of whom 54 per cent were women.

Mr Hammond said: “The public interest is best served when the legal professions reflect the diversity in Irish society. Since 2018, the Law Society has strategically worked to implement the recommendations of the Peart Commission report to help achieve this.

“Importantly, the Law Society has prioritised the development of innovative structures to improve access in the profession. We are achieving this through flexible training options such as the PPC Hybrid, and providing practical and financial supports through our various grant schemes. We will continue to streamline our training model with a fused PPC offering commencing in 2022.

“Reaching young people through our public legal education initiatives remains a core part of our work. These initiatives ensure access to the law for young people who may not otherwise have had an opportunity to consider a legal career.

“Ultimately, the current status and profile of the trainees attending the Law Society shared in [this report] signifies an exciting new era as we continue to make significant progress to advance diversity and access to the solicitors’ profession.

“The growing demand for talent when coupled with the upward trend in new trainee solicitors added to the Irish roll of solicitors each year, we believe the admission policies of the legal professions are, as they must be, consistent with the public interest. The Law Society is encouraged by this report and reaffirm our commitment to the ongoing development of ground-breaking legal education and training in Ireland.”