Training Contract Grant Scheme - 2008

On this page:

About the scheme
How the scheme makes a difference
2008 Training Contract Grants Scheme - and the awards go to...
For more information
Seeking stakeholders' views on the scheme
Legal aid contracts information

About the scheme

50% more grants are being made available to help fund future legal aid solicitors, through the 2008 Training Contract Grant Scheme.

Since 2002 the LSC has been awarding Training Contract Grants to organisations that are committed to legal aid work, by supporting them in recruiting and retaining their next generation of legal aid lawyers. So far, over £10 million has been invested in the scheme, enabling around 600 legal aid solicitors to benefit from a Training Contract Grant.

150 grants worth a total of nearly £3 million are available under the 2008 scheme.

On offer is:

a package of up to £20,000 per grant
a commitment to support a student and organisation through the Legal Practice Course (LPC), Training Contract and Professional Skills Course.

Each grant will cover:

60% tuition fees of full-time/part-time students on the LPC

and/or

100% Professional Skills Course for successful LPC students on Training Contracts with a solicitor organisation

and/or

50% of the Solicitors Regulation Authority minimum salary

How the scheme makes a difference

A Training Contract Grant has supported Kim Brereton, currently a trainee with Jeary & Lewis. She says, "I like working for a legally aided firm. There is high job satisfaction, particularly in working with legally aided clients, as they are really in need of help. It is very fulfilling"

Michael Jeary, partner of Jeary & Lewis finds that, "these students are an asset for any legal aid organisation. They are effective from day one".

2008 Training Contract Grants Scheme – And the awards go to…

All 150 grants available under the 2008 Training Contract Grants Scheme have now been awarded to solicitor firms and Not for Profit organisations across England and Wales.

For a full list of all the organisations who have been awarded a grant and their contact details, please see the documents section at the top of this page.

If you are interested in a training contract with one of the organisations who has been given an LSC grant, please contact the organisation directly. You will need to go through their internal recruitment process. You cannot apply via the LSC. Organisations have until 30 January 2009 to recruit a trainee.

For more information about how the scheme works and whether you are eligible please read the ‘Information for students’ pack in the documents section at the top of this page.

For more information

Please read the information under the documents section on this page, which contains full details of the 2008 scheme. If you have any other questions, please contact:

Kim Moores	Sarah Brewster
Legal Services Commission 2nd Floor, Lee House 90 Great Bridgewater Street Manchester M1 5JW	Legal Services Commission QED 4 Abbey Orchard Street London SW1P 2BS
DX 14343 Manchester 1	DX 328 London
Tel: 0161 244 5027	Tel: 020 7837 446
E-mail: kim.moores@legalservices.gov.uk	E-mail: sarah.brewster@legalservices.gov.uk

Seeking stakeholders' views on the scheme

In 2007 an evaluation of the Training Contracts Grant Scheme was carried out by independent researchers. That evaluation has fed into the 2008 scheme. A dialogue about the scheme has been ongoing with key stakeholders and this will continue.

Legal aid contracts information

If you are a solicitor’s firm or a not-for-profit organisation interested in obtaining a LSC contract, please contact your LSC Regional Office.

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Last updated: 31 October 2008