Scotland
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 Scotland.
APPLICATION
In order to apply for admission under this route you must
complete and submit application form EF7 which is 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 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 all jurisdictions in which the solicitor
has been admitted;
- a certified copy of your original certificate(s) and transcript(s) evidencing all higher education professional qualifications;
- if applicable, a certified copy of an interim transcript from any current higher education professional qualification studies;
- three references, two of whom should be solicitors or members of your professional body. If you are presently in employment one of the referees must be from your current firm. References should be signed and on official letterhead paper. Email references should be from an official email account.
FEES
The following fees apply for Scottish solicitors seeking admission to the Roll in Northern Ireland:
- Application and admission fee: £150.00
- Indentures Registration Fee: £187.50
Payment should be made by bank transfer. We no longer accept payments by cheque. The bank details are available on Section 8 of the application form.
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.
Please note: all newly admitted solicitors are subject to three year's
restriction from practice on their own account i.e. as principals or sole
practitioners. In certain circumstances the Society may grant a waiver of this
restriction.
SUBMISSION
Upon submission your application and supplementary papers are reviewed by the Society's Admissions team. If all papers are in order then the application is submitted to the Education Committee for consideration.
Solicitors from Scotland are usually required to complete the following:
(i) The following courses at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies in Belfast:
- Private Client: Wills Course
- Property Law and Practice: Part 1 & 2
(ii) a 6-month apprenticeship with a firm of solicitors in Northern Ireland. This will require the lodgement of Indentures and payment of the subsequent fee (as noted above).
At the discretion of the Education Committee, the apprenticeship and course completion may run concurrently. You must outline your request for this in a covering letter.
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.
Documents