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The Legal Services Commission (LSC) today announced it is making a further 150 grants available - worth up to £3million - to help train the legal aid solicitors of the future.  Each grant could be worth as much as £20,000.

The grants will cover:

• 100% of the cost of professional skills courses for successful Legal Practice Course (LPC) students on training contracts with a solicitor organisation
    
• 60% tuition fees for Full Time/Part Time students on the LPC
  
• 50% of the Solicitors Regulation Authority minimum salary

Solicitor organisations can recruit either someone who has completed their LPC and is ready to start a training contract, or a current or future LPC student who, on completion of their course, joins the organisation on a training contract.

Carolyn Regan, Chief Executive of the Legal Services Commission, said: “I am very pleased to announce this latest round of grants. This year we are able to make 50% more training grants available as our commitment to funding the next generation of legal aid lawyers. The grants will add to the LSC’s investment in the next generation of legal aid solicitors which already stands at nearly £15million.  The training grants provided so far will translate into nearly 600 newly qualified solicitors working in legal aid.  Each of these new solicitors makes a real difference to people’s lives.”

Priority will be given to organisations with contracts in the areas of Crime, Family, Immigration, Mental Health and Social Welfare law. The training grants will help support the same objectives as the Community Legal Service Strategy and other reforms which aim to improve access and sustainability of services and ensure they are focused on areas of greatest need.

Organisations who want an application pack and individuals who would like further information about the grants can download the information from our website or contact Kim Moores, Training Contract Grants Coordinator (Tel: 0161 244 5027).

Media information

Daniel Kellingley   Tel: 020 7759 0415

Notes for editors

1. Further information on the 2008 round of training grants is available from the LSC’s website.

2. The grants will be provided in anticipation that the newly qualified solicitor will remain in the employment of the solicitor organisation, and engaged in legal aid work, for at least two years after completing their training contract.

3. The training grants scheme was introduced in 2002.