The Solicitors (Amendment)(Northern Ireland) Order 1989

Regulations

9.—(1) For Article 6 of the Solicitors Order (regulations as to the education, training, etc. of persons seeking admission as solicitors) there shall be substituted—

“Regulations as to the education, training, etc., of persons seeking admission or having been admitted as solicitors

6.—(1) The Society may make regulations with respect to the education and training of persons seeking admission or who have been admitted as solicitors and (without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing) such regulations may prescribe—

(a)the education and training, whether by service under apprenticeship or otherwise, to be undergone by persons seeking admission as solicitors;

(b)the examinations or other tests to be undergone by persons seeking admission as solicitors;

(c)the qualifications, experience, conduct, duties and responsibilities of persons seeking admission as solicitors or solicitors providing apprenticeships (including the remuneration payable under such apprenticeships) under the regulations;

(d)the circumstances in which apprenticeships may be transferred or discharged or education or training of persons seeking admission as solicitors may be abridged, extended or terminated;

(e)the control and discipline of persons seeking admission as solicitors, including requirements to be imposed in consequence of contraventions of the regulations;

(f)the circumstances in which a person seeking admission as a solicitor may apply to the Society to waive the application of any provision of the regulations in his case or to review any decision taken by the Society in respect of him for the purposes of the regulations and the procedure for such applications;

(g)the education, training and examinations or other tests to be undergone by persons who have been admitted as solicitors;

(h)the charging and application by the Society of fees to be paid by persons undergoing education and training for the purposes of the regulations;

(i)such transitional and incidental matters as the society think necessary.

(2) Regulations under paragraph (1) may make the opinion, consent or approval of the Lord Chief Justice, or of any examining or other body or authority named in the regulations, or of the Society or the Council or any committee of the Council material for the purposes of any provision of the regulations.

(3) Subject to regulations made under paragraph (1)(f), on an application by a person seeking to be admitted as a solicitor, the Society may—

(a)waive the application of any provision of regulations under paragraph (1) to that person; or

(b)review any decision taken by the Society with respect to that person under those regulations.

(4) An applicant aggrieved by a decision of the Society under paragraph (3) may, after giving notice to the Society, appeal to the Lord Chief Justice; and on such appeal—

(a)the Society may appear and be heard; and

(b)the Lord Chief Justice may make such order (including an order for the payment of costs) as he thinks proper.”.

(2) In Article 26(2)(a) of the Solicitors Order (general power to make regulations as to professional practice, conduct and discipline of solicitors) the words from “not exceeding” to “solicitor” shall cease to have effect.