About Legal Partnerships

A legal partnership is a partnership formed under the law of the State by written agreement by two or more legal practitioners (solicitors or barristers) for the purpose of providing legal services.  At least one partner in a legal partnership must be a practising barrister.

Legal partnerships may be:

• Solicitor-barrister legal partnerships, where at least one practising solicitor and one practising barrister are partners.
• Barrister-only legal partnerships, where only practising barristers are partners.

The regulatory framework for legal partnerships consists of a suite of regulations and a code of practice for practising barristers.

Section 100 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 (Act) allows for the introduction of legal partnerships, as it provides that a legal practitioner may provide legal services as a partner in, or an employee of, a legal partnership.

A legislative amendment was required to section 1 of the Act and this amendment was introduced by the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023.

Section 100 of the Act was commenced in September 2024.

The regulatory framework for legal partnerships consists of a suite of regulations and a Code of Practice for Practising Barristers. The framework came into effect in September 2024.

New Legal Partnership Regulations

The Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 (Legal Partnerships) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 489 of 2024) came into force in September 2024. These new regulations, under section 116 of the Act, set out rules in relation to the operation and management of legal partnerships. They provide for a legal partnership’s:

• general obligations
• standards, procedures and policies
• rules on the name of a legal partnership
• the process for notifying the LSRA of the intention to provide legal services, membership alteration and cessation of the provision of legal services
• money of clients, and
• the Register of Legal Partnerships.

The Legal Partnerships Regulations 2024 can be read here.

Revised Limited Liability Partnership Regulations

The Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 (Limited Liability Partnerships) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 488 of 2024) include provisions relating to legal partnerships who apply for authorisation to operate as an LLP.

These regulations replace the previous Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 (Limited Liability Partnerships) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 519/2019). The purpose of these revised regulations is to take account of the fact that legal partnerships may also seek LLP status. Previously, only partnerships of solicitors could apply to the LSRA for authorisation to operate as LLPs.

The LLPs Regulations 2024can be read here.

Revised Professional Indemnity Insurance Regulations for Barristers

The Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 (Professional Indemnity Insurance) Regulations 2024 (S.I. No. 490 of 2024) take account of the introduction of legal partnerships. These regulation replace the previous Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 (Professional Indemnity Insurance) Regulations 2019 (S.I. No. 572/2019).

The purpose of the revised regulations is to set out rules in relation to the professional indemnity insurance required to be maintained by certain practising barristers and by legal partnerships and limited liability partnerships in respect of their partners and employees who are practising barristers.

The PII Regulations 2024 can be read here.

A legal partnership will be able to apply for authorisation to operate as a limited liability partnership or LLP (currently only partnerships of solicitors can apply).

If a legal partnership is authorised by the LSRA to become a LLP, subject to exceptions, the partners will not be personally liable for the debts, obligations or liabilities of the LLP itself or any partner or employee of the LLP.

LLPs were introduced by the LSRA in October 2019.

For more information on the existing LLP Regulations please see: Limited Liability Partnerships.

A new Code of Practice for Practising Barristers has come into effect. The Code is issued by the LSRA under section 22 of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, as amended. The purpose of this Code of Practice is to set out the requirements, rules and standards that apply to every person who is a practising barrister in Ireland as defined in the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015, as amended.

This Code does not replace the Code of Conduct of the Bar of Ireland or the Professional Code of the Honorable Society of King’s Inns save that where a provision of a professional code conflicts with a provision of this new LSRA Code, this new LSRA Code will prevail.

The LSRA Code of Practice for Practising Barristers can be read here.

Other relevant codes for legal practitioners are:

• The Law Society of Ireland professional codes can be found on their website along with other useful information.
• The Bar of Ireland Code of Conduct.
• The Honorable Society of King’s Inns’ Professional Code of Conduct.