Practising Certificate

Information about the Practising Certificate application process (includes option to add membership ), digital Practising Certificates, Certificate of Good Standing and Certificate of Attestation is available in this section.

Practising Certificate (PC) Form 

The 2024 PC Application Form is now open. 

Application forms and guidance

Additional information and forms for those seeking Qualifying Certificates, and solicitors in the full-time service of the State, as well as advice on how to backdate your PC can be accessed on the PC application forms page. If you have a query, contact pc@lawsociety.ie.

Accessing your digital Practising Certificate

You can now access your digital PC by logging in to your dashboard, selecting ‘view my profile’ and clicking 'my applications' from the list of options on the left-hand side. Then select the ‘download certificate’ blue button beside your PC application link.

Contact us

If you have any other PC queries, please contact pc@lawsociety.ie.

Certificate of Good Standing

Solicitors who require a certificate of good standing should address their query to pc@lawsociety.ie and provide the following details:

  1. Subject title noted as a request for Certificate of Good Standing.
  2. The purpose of the certificate and;
  3. To whom the certificate should be addressed.

There is a fee of €100 (based on SI 605 of 2010) in respect of certificates of good standing for non-practising solicitors and for urgent certificates where required in less than 10 working days .

The statutory basis for a Certificate of Good Standing can be located within SI 604/2010 and is defined as follows: 

“a certificate in writing issued by the Society which includes a confirmation that as at the date of the certificate a search of the Society’s records in relation to discipline discloses no orders of findings of misconduct or reprimands to the discredit of a named solicitor or solicitors”

Please note that certificates are provided in a standard format and cannot be amended to include alternate information.

Such letters issue on the basis that the solicitor’s record is absent from:

  • ‘Live’ reprimands on the solicitor’s record

  • Contentious High Court orders

  • Contentious Disciplinary Tribunal orders

  • Regulation of Practice Committee matters resulting in conditions on a practising certificate

  • Suspensions or Strike-offs

Should any of the above matters be relevant, the certificate which issues shall detail same and be called a Certificate of Standing, the definition of which is also located within SI 604/2010 as follows:

“means a certificate in writing issued by the Society which includes a confirmation that as at the date of the certificate a search of the Society’s records in relation to discipline discloses no orders of findings of misconduct or reprimands to the discredit of a named solicitor or solicitors except for one or more specified matters referred to in the certificate”

The certificate once completed will be emailed to the relevant party with an original to follow by post, if necessary in the current circumstances.

If you have any other queries, please contact pc@lawsociety.ie.

Certificate of Attestation

A Certificate of Attestation attests that a solicitor has been admitted to the Roll of Solicitors and is authorised to practise as a solicitor in Ireland subject to the provisions of the Solicitors Acts 1954-2015 and the rules and regulations made thereunder.

The purpose of the Certificate of Attestation is for registering with a foreign bar association. The Certificate of Attestation is not a practising certificate and does not permit the solicitor to provide legal services in any jurisdiction.

Fee

The fee in respect of a Certificate of Attestation is €750 and if you wish to apply for the certificate please email pc@lawsociety.ie

Other information

If you have any queries with regard to opening or closing a practice, please email firms@lawsociety.ie.

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