The Law Society of Northern Ireland Trust

Public benefits

Purpose 1 To promote the continuation and furtherance of legal education and the acquisition of legal knowledge. The direct benefits which flow from this purpose are a library stocked with up to date legal texts and a CPD programme delivered on current topics, leading to those who use the library being better educated and informed. These benefits

are evidenced by the number of information requests received by the library and post CPD event feedback surveys. The charity’s beneficiaries are members of the solicitor profession by providing up to date training and information . Indirectly the public benefits through an improved service from the profession. Purpose 2 The second objective of the Trust is to make provision for the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at the Queen’s University of Belfast and any similar institution or body which is for the time being established for charitable purposes. The direct benefit which flows form this is the provision of legal study courses at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at the Queen’s University of Belfast. The benefits are evidenced through examinations taken and qualifications awarded from these courses. The charity’s beneficiaries are members of the solicitor profession who having received the training are better equipped to discharge their professional responsibilities. Indirectly the public benefits through an improved service from the profession. Purpose 3 The third objective of the Trust is to make provision for scholarships, exhibitions, bursaries, prizes or grants to be awarded, given or made for the furtherance of legal education or of research into the laws of Northern Ireland and of other jurisdictions. The direct benefits which flow from this purpose are prizes and awards made to top performing students of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at the Queen’s University of Belfast and the Graduate Law School at the University of Ulster at Magee. The benefits are evidenced through the high calibre of students who attend both centres of learning. The charity’s beneficiaries are apprentice solicitors. However indirectly it is the wider profession and public which benefits from the high calibre of student joining the profession.

What your organisation does

The organisation operates under the governance of its trust deed to ensure that provision is made for the advancement of legal education and knowledge in Northern Ireland. The trustees make grant awards in furtherance of these aims.