WHAT IS IT?

 

Through the DAS, the Law Society is able to support talented, aspiring solicitors to pursue their legal education and careers through:

• Legal Practice Course (LPC) or Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) scholarships

• mentoring

• work experience

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LPC/SQE APPLICATIONS

WHEN CAN YOU APPLY?

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The 2024 application period is open on the  28 February 2024

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WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS?

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1.1 Financial criteria

Applicants will be required to confirm the following statements:

a. They do not have access to familial loans or financial gifts

b. They do not have more than £5,000 in their savings account, current account, ISA or

held elsewhere.

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1.2 Background

Applicants will be required to confirm two or more of the following statements:

a. They attended a non-fee paying school

b. They are part of the first generation of their family to attend higher education

c. They were eligible for free school meals whilst at school.

 

AND applicants that do not fulfil the above criteria, may still be eligible to apply to the DAS if they face, or have faced, exceptional circumstances in pursuing their legal education or career.

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Exceptional circumstances If an applicant does not fulfil the criteria under 1.1 and 1.2 they may still be eligible to apply for the DAS if they have faced or will face exceptional circumstances to pursue their studies and career ambitions as a result of their:

• Cultural background

• Health problems

• Disability

• Sex

• Gender identity

• Sexuality

• Race

• Religion

• Or other challenging personal circumstances

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EXAMPLES OF SUCH:

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• Coming from a family where women were not encouraged/allowed to pursue their education or career

• Travelling alone from a warzone or oppressive regime to the UK, without knowing anyone in the country

• Being disabled or having a chronic health condition, for example dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression or cancer; or caring for a disabled person.

• Having grown up in a house where domestic violence was a regular occurrence and having had to move home and schools and suffer educational and personal disruption as a result.

• Family estrangement

 

WHAT DOES THE SCHEME FUND?

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The scheme is only open to students undertaking the Legal Practice Course (LPC) or the LPC combined with LLM, Solicitors Qualifying Exam (SQE) assessments and SQE preparation courses or SQE preparation courses combined with LLM.

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The Law Society does not provide any funding for the law degree, PGDL, CPE, LLM as a standalone course or any other courses.

 

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If you have any more questions about the scheme, please contact Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Representative Laura Keane at laura.keane@inhouselegalsolutions.com.  

 

Further guidance on the interview process can be found on the Law Society's website:  https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/campaigns/diversity-access-scheme

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