Professional Practice Courses!

I did a law degree a few years ago and at the time was considering doing the fe1 exams (someone on boards was kindly supplying me with notes as well).

I had a quick look today and see they have introduced further requirements to becoming a solicitor. Two "professional practice courses" have to be attended and the fees schedule listed them as being €4000 and €7000!!!!

This is incredible to me! Its much more onerous now than a few years ago...

Rhonda9000

Deleted User wrote:

I did a law degree a few years ago and at the time was considering doing the fe1 exams (someone on boards was kindly supplying me with notes as well).

I had a quick look today and see they have introduced further requirements to becoming a solicitor. Two "professional practice courses" have to be attended and the fees schedule listed them as being €4000 and €7000!!!!

This is incredible to me! Its much more onerous now than a few years ago...

Usually the firm you get a contract with pays for the PPC.

dats_right

OP, the PPC courses are not as you seem to think anything new or additional. Up to a number of years ago these courses were called the professional course and the advanced course respectively. So whilst the fees for these courses will undoubtedly have increased over the years they are nothing new.

Secondly, don't necessarily agree with Ronda regarding fees. Whilst it is true to say that the big firms will invariably pay your fees, this is not necessarily the case with medium and even less likely with smaller firms. So whether your fees will be covered should not be taken for granted, especially if you intende working for a smaller or medium size practise.

ladylorenzo

dats_right wrote:

OP, the PPC courses are not as you seem to think anything new or additional. Up to a number of years ago these courses were called the professional course and the advanced course respectively. So whilst the fees for these courses will undoubtedly have increased over the years they are nothing new.

Secondly, don't necessarily agree with Ronda regarding fees. Whilst it is true to say that the big firms will invariably pay your fees, this is not necessarily the case with medium and even less likely with smaller firms. So whether your fees will be covered should not be taken for granted, especially if you intende working for a smaller or medium size practise.

Dats right, dats right!!!

To get a Training Contract with any firm is like finding that needle in the haystack. But to get a Training Contract with a firm who are willing to pay your fees is, well, like gold-dust. The big 5 in Dublin will pay your fees (and even give you an allowance to buy your suits....in a very expensive shop may i add) but the majority of firms wont even entertain the idea. In their eyes, you should almost be paying them for giving you a training contract given how hard they are to come accross!!

So if you're considering doing the course, the expense is definitely something that you should take into account before embarking upon the long journey. There is a huge initial outlay involved before you even get to the PPC1 stage i.e
- €100 per FE1, (At least €800 - if you're lucky enough to geth them all first time round)
- Study Materials (should you choose to do a prep course, GCD charge €375 per subject),
- Irish exam €140,
- Application fee to have you application to do the PPC1 processed €800
never mind all the leave from work(for the most part, unpaid leave) which must be taken into account!!

Having said all the above, the Law Society feel justified in charging so much because they know that once you're qualified, you'll start off on a pretty decent salary and it can only go up...so in their eyes, it's all worth it. But for the poor student trying to scrape €15-€20K together to get to that stage, well, it's just no fun at all!!

dK1NG

ladylorenzo wrote:

- Application fee to have you application to do the PPC1 processed €800
never mind all the leave from work(for the most part, unpaid leave) which must be taken into account!!

:eek: :eek: :eek:

:mad: :mad: :mad:

thats a ridiculous fee imo!

ladylorenzo

Dericulous, I know. €800 to do what exactly?!!! 4 years ago, it was around €80.So the Law Society have obviously increased the fee in line with inflation then.....not!

grumpytrousers

You can also apply for a 3rd level grant from your local authority which will cover some of the fees. Not all. Not even half, i believe, but perhaps better than a kick in the teeth to some...

dats_right

I think the €800 fee isn't strcitly speaking a 'registration fee' for the PPC1, bur rather a fee to have one's indentures of apprenticeship entered on the the Register of Apprentices by the Registrar. Once again the fee for registering indentures was always quite steep and I'd say it's a lot lot longer than a few years since the fee was any where near €80 (maybe 20-30 years ago!). That said, I'm not saying that it is right that the Law Society should charge this fee, far from in in fact, I'm merely being pedantic. But,if you look at the Law Society's Schedule of Fees you will quite clearly see that the fee for the PPC1 (including Application fee) is €7,800.00

http://www.lawsociety.ie/documents/education/hbs/fees.pdf

johnnyskeleton

ladylorenzo wrote:

Dericulous, I know. €800 to do what exactly?!!! 4 years ago, it was around €80.So the Law Society have obviously increased the fee in line with inflation then.....not!

What a waste of money. For that, you could buy something useful and relevant to helping people with their legal problems, like a horsehair wig.

ladylorenzo

dats_right wrote:

I think the €800 fee isn't strcitly speaking a 'registration fee' for the PPC1, bur rather a fee to have one's indentures of apprenticeship entered on the the Register of Apprentices by the Registrar. Once again the fee for registering indentures was always quite steep and I'd say it's a lot lot longer than a few years since the fee was any where near €80 (maybe 20-30 years ago!). That said, I'm not saying that it is right that the Law Society should charge this fee, far from in in fact, I'm merely being pedantic. But,if you look at the Law Society's Schedule of Fees you will quite clearly see that the fee for the PPC1 (including Application fee) is €7,800.00

http://www.lawsociety.ie/documents/education/hbs/fees.pdf

Not to be pedantic or anything(!!) but the €7800 does not in fact include the €800 application fee. It is a seperate payment which is outlined in point 3 of the schedule.

dats_right

Yes, but the €800 fee is for Registration of Indentures of Apprenticiceship and not as you state as an Application fee for the PPC1. As clearly stated in my previous post and indeed at point number 5 on the Law Society's Schedule, the €7,800 is payable "On application to attend the Professional Practice Course I".