Helpline FAQ
These are just examples of the typical questions asked and the type of advice the helpline can provide. However, this section is in no way intended to be comprehensive and if you need help we strongly advise you to pick up the phone and call us.
I am due to start my training contract, however I have had paralegal experience in a commercial litigation department for nine months and have also worked part time as a personal injury paralegal. Does this mean that the overall period of my training contract can be reduced?
The current rules relating to experience gained outside a training contract allow experience gained since 1st July 2000 to be considered. The firm you secure a training contract with will decide in consultation with you whether they consider your experience to be sufficient. To apply for experience to be counted you must get the firm where you completed the experience to complete a 'Time to Count' ('TCC') application form. This form is available on the Law Society website in the Trainee Solicitors' Guide to Authorisation at www.lawsociety.org. The TCC should then be given to the Training Principal at the firm you secure your training contract with. If they are happy with the experience you have and it is equivalent to that of a Trainee Solicitor, time can be awarded at what is known as 'half equivalence'. For example, for 10 months experience gained you would potentially be eligible for a deduction of 5 months from your training contract. The maximum that can be deducted for previous experience from any training contract is 6 months. When the Training Principal sends the TC1 to register your training contract, they will complete the relevant questions relating to awarding any time to count. It is important to note that once a TCC is completed it must be retained on your file. If the firm were monitored by the Law Society and the TCC was not on your file you would lose the time they had been awarded
