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Supreme Court's legal-assistance panel vacancies

Interested solicitors have been asked to apply for open positions on the Supreme Court legal-assistance and representation scheme.

Chief Justice Donal O’Donnell has said that the panel of solicitors for the scheme, which was established in November 2016, is in need of replenishment.

The scheme is an agreement between the Supreme Court, the Bar Council and the Law Society.

Under it, a set of barristers and solicitors is empanelled.

These lawyers are willing to act, if requested by the Supreme Court, for unrepresented persons who are parties to appeals.

The  Chief justice has said that the scheme is an important mechanism of ensuring that the inability of parties to pay for the costs of an appeal to the Supreme Court is not a barrier to the court hearing appeals.

These appeals will have reached the constitutional threshold involving matters of public importance, or where it is in the interests of justice that there is an appeal to the Supreme Court.

Enabling justice

As well as enabling access to justice for relevant parties, there is a wider benefit for society given that the cases involve issues of public Importance, the Chief Justice added.

“The scheme is also a visible illustration of the commitment of the legal profession to the ideal of the rule of law,” the Chief Justice said.

The work is shared fairly among those on the panel, he said.

“The scheme also provides a useful opportunity for solicitors to become familiar with the practice and procedure of the Supreme Court,” the Chief Justice added.

An array of practitioners with specialist expertise in a broad range of areas of law is sought for the panel.

Those who would like to apply to join the panel should email their name and solicitor number to solicitorservices@lawsociety.ie