Training Contract Grant Scheme - 2008

On this page:

About the scheme
How the scheme makes a difference
If you are an organisation interested in applying...
If you are a student/trainee interested in the scheme...
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".

If you are an organisation interested in applying...

Please read the information under the documents section of this page. This contains full details of the scheme and application form.

Details of the scoring criteria that will be used to award the grants will be published on this page on 4th July.

Timetable

Date	Detail
24 June	Scheme opens for applications
26 August	Applications must be received by the LSC
31 October	Applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application. A full list of recipients will be posted on this page
30 January	Recruitment must have been completed by any organisation awarded a grant

If you are a student/trainee interested in the scheme...

Please read the Information for Students leaflet in the documents section of this page. This contains more detail about the scheme.

Grants are awarded directly to organisations and not to individual students. If you are a student or you have completed your LPC, you will need to apply directly to organisations that are awarded a grant.

Watch this space….a full list of organisations who are awarded a grant under the 2008 scheme will be published on this page from the end of October.

For more information

Please read the information under the documents section on this page, which contains full details of the 2008 sheme. 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 Gray's Inn Road London WC1X 8TX
DX 14343 Manchester 1	DX 328 London
Tel: 0161 244 5027	Tel:020 7759 0318
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: 15 July 2008