S.I. No. 670/2011 - The Solicitors Acts 1954 to 2008 Solicitors (Practising Certificate 2012) Regulations 2011.

1. The registration fee and the Compensation Fund contribution are required to be paid by each applicant for a practising certificate.

2. A solicitor admitted during the practice year commencing 1 January 2012, if applying for his/her first practising certificate during the practice year 2012, may calculate the registration fee and the Compensation Fund contribution payable by him/her on the basis of the number of full calendar months remaining in that practice year following the month of his/her admission; and the solicitor’s membership subscription in respect of the year (or part thereof) of his/her admission shall be at the reduced rate of €20.

A solicitor admitted to the Roll for at least 50 years on 1 January 2012 is entitled to be a member of the Society without payment of a membership subscription. Therefore it is not necessary for such a solicitor to pay the €85 membership subscription when applying for a practising certificate.

3. Payment of the annual membership subscription and/or the Solicitors Benevolent Association contribution and/or the Free Legal Advice Centres contribution and/or Community Law Centres contribution is/are not a condition(

s

) precedent to the issuing to a solicitor of a Practising Certificate. However, unless a solicitor pays the annual membership subscription, he/she cannot enjoy the benefits of being a member of the Society as provided for in the Society’s Bye-Laws, including the right to vote in annual and provincial elections and the right to receive the Society’s Gazette. The voluntary contribution to Community Law Centres will be allocated to the Ballymun Community Law Centre and the Northside Community Law Centre.

Payment Methods

Please pay the fees due by cheque or electronic funds transfer as indicated on the application form.

If paying by electronic funds transfer, it is mandatory to enclose a remittance advice with the application; until the remittance advice is received, your application will be treated in the same way as an application form without a cheque (that is as an incomplete application) notwithstanding that the fees due may have actually been received by the Society. There is no discretion to waive this requirement in any case. In this regard attention is drawn to the deadline of 10th February 2012 for inclusion in the Law Directory 2012 which is more fully described in the general section of these guidance notes.

4. (

a

) The Registrar, at any time following delivery to the Registrar by an applicant solicitor of an application (whether or not a practising certificate has been issued by the Registrar to the applicant solicitor pursuant to Regulation 3(

b

) of these Regulations), may, where the Registrar deems it appropriate and reasonable so to do, require the applicant solicitor to confirm in writing to the Society the accuracy of all or any specified part or parts of the application.

(

b

) Where, on receipt by the Society of a confirmation in writing from an applicant solicitor required by the Registrar pursuant to clause (

a

) of this Regulation, the Registrar deems it appropriate and reasonable so to do, the Registrar may require the applicant solicitor to attend before a meeting of the Regulation of Practice Committee to further confirm the accuracy of all or any specified part or parts of his or her application.

Misconduct of knowlingly furnishing false and misleading information

5. The questions of the Registrar of Solicitors are to be answered by each applicant, including a solicitor in the full-time service of the State and a conveyancing-only solicitor employed by a non-solicitor.

Section C — Investment Business Services or Investment Advice

This Section is required to comply with The Solicitors Acts 1954 to 1994 (Investment Business and Investor Compensation) Regulations 1998 (

S.I. No. 439 of 1998

) as amended. Part I of this Section applies to a solicitor who is an investment business firm or an investment firm within the terms of Section 47(1)(

a

) or (

b

) of the

Investor Compensation Act 1998

. Part II of this Section applies to all other solicitors. In the form for solicitors in the full-time service of the State this Section is not divided into parts.

Text of Investor Compensation Act 1998 Section 47(1)(

a

) and (

b

)

(a)

A solicitor in respect of whom a practising certificate (within the meaning of the Solicitors Acts 1954 to [1994]) is in force shall be an investment business firm—

(i)

where the solicitor provides investment business services or investment advice in a manner which is not incidental to the provision of legal services, or

(ii)

where the solicitor holds himself or herself out as being an investment business firm, or

(iii)

where, when acting as an investment product intermediary in a manner incidental to the provision of legal services, the solicitor holds an appointment in writing other than from—

(I)

an investment firm authorised in accordance with the Investment Services Directive by a competent authority of another Member State, or an authorised investment business firm (not being a restricted activity investment product intermediary or a certified person), or a member firm within the meaning of the

Stock Exchange Act 1995

, or

(II)

a credit institution authorised in accordance with Directives 77/780/EEC of 12 December 1977 and 89/646/EEC of 15 December 1989, or

(III)

a manager of a collective investment undertaking authorised to market units in collective investments to the public,

which is situate in the State or the relevant branch of which is situate in the State,

and shall be required to be authorised as an authorised investment business firm pursuant to the provisions of the [Investment Intermediaries Act] 1995.

(

b

)

A solicitor, in respect of whom a practising certificate (within the meaning of the Solicitors Acts 1954 to[1994]) is in force, who is an insurance intermediary or who holds himself [or herself] out to be an insurance intermediary shall be an investment firm for the purposes of this Act and shall inform the [Irish Financial Services Regulatory Authority] and [The Investor Compensation Company Limited] that he or she is an investment firm for the purposes of this Act.

Part I

The terms of the description referred to in Part I of this Section and the terms of the evidence in writing referred to in Part I of this Section are as follows

6. As and from the coming into operation of these Regulations, the Registration Fee together with the contribution to the Compensation Fund as specified in the Second Schedule to these Regulations shall be paid to the Society by an applicant solicitor on delivery to the Registrar of his or her application.

Fee for copy of entry on File A or File B

7. The fee payable to the Society by a person who applies to the Registrar, pursuant to Section 17 of the Act of 1960, for a copy of an entry on File A or File B shall be as specified in the Second Schedule to these Regulations.

Issue of duplicate practising certificate

8. Where a solicitor to whom a practising certificate for the practice year has been issued pursuant to Regulation 3(

b

) of these Regulations certifies to the Registrar that his or her practising certificate has been inadvertently destroyed, lost or mislaid, such solicitor may apply to the Society for a duplicate original of such practising certificate on duly discharging the fee specified in the Second Schedule to these Regulations and duly undertaking to the Registrar that in the event of the practising certificate as originally issued being subsequently found in the course of the practice year that same would forthwith be returned to the Registrar.

Where conditions attached to practising certificate

9. (

a

) Where a practising certificate for the practice year is caused to be issued by the Registrar to a solicitor subject to a specified condition or conditions, the practising certificate shall be endorsed with the words (adapted as appropriate): “

Issued subject to

[a]

specified condition

[s]

as annexed

” and the Registrar at the same time shall cause to be issued to the solicitor concerned a separate document (deemed to be part of the practising certificate) headed with the Society’s crest and title and also headed (adapted as appropriate): “

Annexe to practising certificate of

[name of solicitor]

of

[a]

specified condition

[s]

attached thereto and applicable as and from

[date of commencement of applicability of the specified condition or conditions]” and setting out the text of each specified condition.

(

b

) Where the Society give a direction pursuant to Section 59 of the Act of 1994 that the practising certificate already issued to a solicitor for the practice year should, from a date that is 21 days after the date of receipt by the solicitor concerned of notification in writing by the Society of the giving of such direction, have effect subject to a specified condition or conditions, the solicitor shall (subject to the provisions of the said section 59 of the Act of 1994 as to the solicitor’s right of appeal to the High Court), within such period of 21 days, surrender his or her current practising certificate, and the Society shall, as soon as possible, reissue it endorsed with the words (adapted as appropriate): “

Issued subject to

[a]

specified condition

[s]

as annexed

” and the Registrar at the same time shall cause to be issued to the solicitor concerned a separate document (deemed to be part of the practising certificate) headed with the Society’s crest and title and also headed (adapted as appropriate): “

Annexe to practising certificate of

[name of solicitor]

of

[a]

specified condition

[s]

attached thereto and applicable as and from

[date of commencement of applicability of the specified condition or conditions]” and setting out the text of each specified condition.

(

c

) Where a practising certificate issued or reissued to a solicitor for the practice year is subject to a specified condition or conditions as referred to in clause (a) or (b) of this Regulation

(i) the solicitor concerned shall comply with the specified condition or each of the specified conditions, as the case may be, and shall ensure that he or she does not provide legal services to any client of the solicitor in breach of such specified condition or conditions, whether or not any such client is made aware of such specified condition or conditions, and

(ii) the solicitor concerned, in any display by him or her of his or her practising certificate, shall display with equal prominence adjacent thereto the annexe thereto setting out the specified condition or conditions to which his or her practising certificate is subject.

Dated this 19th day of December 2011

Signed on behalf of the Law Society of Ireland pursuant to

Section 79

of the

Solicitors Act 1954

.

DONALD PATRICK BINCHY,

President of the Law Society of Ireland.

FIRST SCHEDULE

within referred to

FORM OF APPLICATION FOR PRACTISING CERTIFICATE FOR PRACTICE YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER 2012

And

FORM OF APPLICATION BY A SOLICITOR IN THE FULL-TIME SERVICE OF THE STATE FOR YEAR ENDING 31ST DECEMBER 2012

SECOND SCHEDULE

within referred to

EURO

(a)

Registration Fee for the practice year ending on the 31st day of December 2012 payable to the Society on application for a practising certificate by an applicant solicitor who has been admitted to the Roll for three years or more on the 1st day of January 2012

€1,435.00

(b)

Registration Fee for the practice year ending on the 31st day of December 2012 payable to the Society on application for a practising certificate by an applicant solicitor who has been admitted to the Roll for less than three years on the 1st day of January 2012

€1,135.00

(c)

Contribution to the Compensation Fund for the practice year ending on the 31st day of December 2012 payable to the Society on application for a practising certificate by an applicant solicitor

€700.00

(d)

Contribution for the Solicitors Mutual Defence Fund Limited for the practice year ending on the 31st day of December 2012 payable to the Society on application for a practising certificate by an applicant solicitor

€200.00

(d)

Fee payable to the Society on each application, pursuant to

Section 17

of the

Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1960

, for a copy of an entry on File A or File B

€100.00

(e)

Fee payable to the Society on each application, pursuant to Regulation 8 of these Regulations, for the issue of a duplicate original practising certificate for the practice year.

€50.00

THIRD SCHEDULE

within referred to

Law Society of Ireland

Practising Certificate Application

for the practice year ending 31 December 2012

GUIDANCE NOTES

General

Why you need a practising certificate

It is misconduct and a criminal offence for a solicitor (other than a solicitor in the full-time service of the state) to practise without a practising certificate. Any solicitor found to be practising without a practising certificate is liable to be referred to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal.

Practising certificate application forms

Application forms will be issued during the week commencing 12 December 2011. Application forms for solicitors in private practice will be forwarded to the principal or the managing partner in each practice, rather than to each solicitor.

When you must apply

A practising certificate must be applied for on or before 1 February in each year in order to be dated 1 January of that year and thereby operate as a qualification to practise from the commencement of the year. It is therefore a legal requirement for a practising solicitor to deliver or cause to be delivered to the Registrar of Solicitors, on or before 1 February 2012, an application in the prescribed form duly completed and signed by the applicant solicitor personally, together with the appropriate fee. The onus is on each solicitor to ensure that his or her application form and fee is delivered by 1 February 2012. Applications should be delivered to: Regulation Department, Law Society of Ireland, George’s Court, George’s Lane, Dublin 7; DX 1025 Four Courts.

What happens if you apply late

-

Any applications for practising certificates that are received after 1 February 2012 will result in the practising certificates being dated the date of actual receipt by the Registrar of Solicitors, rather than 1 January 2012. There is no legal power to allow any period of grace under any circumstances whatsoever.

Please note that, again during 2011, a number of solicitors went to the trouble and expense of making an application to the High Court for their practising certificate to be backdated to 1 January because their practising certificate application was received after 1 February.

The Regulation of Practice Committee is the committee of the Society that has responsibility for supervising compliance with practising certificate requirements. A special meeting of this committee will be held on a date after 1 February 2012, to be decided, to consider any late or unresolved applications for practising certificates. At this meeting, any practising solicitors who have not applied by then for a practising certificate will be considered for referral forthwith to the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal and will be informed that the Society reserves the right to take proceedings for an order under

section 18

of the

Solicitors (Amendment) Act 2002

to prohibit them from practising illegally.

If you are an employed solicitor

Solicitors who are employed should note that it is the statutory obligation of every solicitor who requires a practising certificate to ensure that he or she has a practising certificate in force. Employed solicitors cannot absolve themselves from this responsibility by relying on their employers to procure their practising certificates. However, it is the Society’s recommendation that all employers should pay for the practising certificate of solicitors employed by them.

If you are a solicitor in the full-time service of the State

There is a specially adapted form for solicitors in the full-time service of the State.

Some of your details are already on the application form

The practising certificate application form will be issued with certain information relating to each solicitor’s practice already completed. Such information will include the relevant fees due by each solicitor and where applicable, provided date of birth has been notified to the Society, will include an adjustment for those solicitors of 70 years or over, to take account of the fact that they will not be covered under the provisions of the Solicitors’ Group Life Cover Scheme.

Law Directory 2012

It is intended that the Law Directory 2012 will note all solicitors who have been issued with a practising certificate by 10 February 2012 (not those who have applied by 10 February 2012). Therefore, in order to ensure that your practising certificate issues by 10 February 2012, you should ensure that the application form you return to the Society is completed correctly. If it is not completed correctly, it will be necessary to return the form, which may result in delaying the issue of your practising certificate, despite the fact that you had applied for it prior to 10 February 2012.

What you can access on the website (www.lawsociety.ie)

Your individual pre-populated application form will also become available on the members’ area of the Law Society website during the week commencing 12 December 2011, which you can complete online prior to printing a copy for signing and returning to the Society with the appropriate fee. This area is accessible by using your username and password: for assistance, please visit www.lawsociety.ie/help. Blank forms will also be available for you to download, if required. In addition, you may request a form to be emailed to you by emailing: pcrenewals@lawsociety.ie.

If you are ceasing practice

If you have recently ceased practice or are intending to cease practice in the coming year, please notify the Society accordingly.

Acknowledgement of application forms

Please note that it is not the Society’s policy to acknowledge receipt of application forms as received.

Duplicate practising certificate

A fee of €50 will be payable in respect of each duplicate practising certificate issued for any purpose.

Completion of the application form

The application form must be properly completed and dated and signed personally by the applicant. If any details are omitted from the application form, it may be returned to the applicant for proper completion and re-submission, which could result in delay in issuing a practising certificate to the applicant.

The application form must be properly completed by a solicitor engaged (or intending to engage) during the practice year ending 31 December 2012 in the provision of legal services, whether as a sole practitioner or as a partner in a solicitor’s practice or as an employee (whether of a solicitor(

s

) or of any other person or body), including a solicitor who does not require a practising certificate by reason of being a solicitor in the full-time service of the State [within the meaning of

section 54

of the

Solicitors Act, 1954

, as substituted by

section 62

of the

Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994

] (in such cases by completing the special application form for such cases) or by reason of being a solicitor employed full-time in the State to provide conveyancing services only to and for his/her non-solicitor employer [section 56,

Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994

].

The practice year coincides with the calendar year. The application form must be received by the Registrar at the Society’s premises, George’s Court, George’s Lane, Dublin 7, on or before 1 February 2012 in order for the practising certificate to be dated 1 January 2012 and thereby to operate as a qualification to practise from the commencement of the practice year 2012. A practising certificate issued after 1 February 2012 must [under Section 48 (as amended by

Section 55

of the

Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994

), of the

Solicitors Act 1954

] bear the date on which the application is actually received by the Registrar.

Section A — Personal Details

If any details in this section are incorrect, please either amend the form or enclose an explanatory letter with the form.

Section B — Status

Please complete this Section as indicated on the application form.

Notes in relation to particular parts of this Section.

1(

h

) For the purposes of this option “independent law centre” has the meaning provided for in The Solicitors Acts 1954 to 2002 (Independent Law Centres) Regulations 2006 (

S.I. No. 103 of 2006

), as amended.

1(

j

) A solicitor to whom this option applies is not required to hold a practising certificate, but should complete the form as if applying for a practising certificate. No fee will be charged for a practising certificate and no practising certificate will be issued.

Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

“Iris Oifigiúil” of

27

th December

, 2011.

The Law Society of Ireland, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by Section 47 (as substituted by

Section 54

of the

Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994

),

Section 82

of the

Solicitors Act, 1954

and Section 22 (as substituted by

Section 30

of the

Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1994

) of the

Solicitors (Amendment) Act 1960

HEREBY MAKE the following Regulations

Citation and commencement