The Legal Services Regulatory Authority has appointed all seven members of a new Committee of the Authority, which this month began its work towards implementing structural reforms to the system of education and training of solicitors and barristers.

The new Education and Training Committee, established under section 16 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, will carry out preparatory work for the delivery of key recommendations made by the Authority in its 2020 report to the Minister for Justice Setting Standards: Legal Practitioner Education and Training.

The Section 16 Education and Training Committee held its first meeting on Thursday 16th April. Its full membership is:

  • Dr Don Thornhill (Chairperson), former Chair LSRA.
  • Joan Crawford, CEO of the Legal Aid Board.
  • Professor Barbara Jemphrey, Institute of Professional Legal Studies NI.
  • Dr Clíodhna Murphy, Associate Professor of Law at Maynooth University.
  • Dr Conan McKenna, former Assistant Secretary at the Department of Justice.
  • Dr Padraig Walsh, former CEO of Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI).
  • Ghinlon Wang MRIAI Assistant Education Director at the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland.

The LSRA’s report, Setting Standards – Legal Professional Education and Training, made two core recommendations for:

  • The development of a clear definition of the competence and standards required to practise as a solicitor or barrister.
  • The establishment of a new independent body to drive reform in the legal practitioner education and training arena, called the Legal Practitioners Education and Training Committee, or LPET. The LPET Committee, which will require primary legislation, will both set and assure educational and training standards and accredit new and existing legal education and training providers.

The Section 16 Education and Training Committee will undertake the following key areas of preparatory work for the introduction of the LPET Committee:

  • The development, as a priority and in consultation with QQI, existing training and other key stakeholders, of competency frameworks for solicitors and barristers.
  • The development of the processes which would enable a statutory LPET Committee, once required legislation has been commenced, to accredit new and existing legal education and training providers.
  • An examination of the resources required by the statutory LPET Committee and a report with recommendations to the Minister for Justice on a proposed funding model.

The Section 16 Education and Training Committee will also play an important role in assisting the Authority with the delivery of the recommendations made in its Breaking Down Barriers reports on the economic and other barriers facing aspiring and early career solicitors and barristers.

It is working towards completion of its challenging programme of work within fifteen months of its establishment.

The chair of the committee, Dr Don Thornhill, said:

“I am very pleased chair this committee which will drive important structural reforms in how legal education and training for solicitors and barristers is delivered. I warmly welcome my fellow committee members who bring an impressive wealth of experience from a range of professional backgrounds and regulatory sectors. We very much look forward to advancing reforms and reporting to the Minister for Justice on the most appropriate structure for the implementation of these reforms.”

See: Setting Standards – Legal Practitioner Education and Training

 

ENDS