The Board maintains a number of panels of private solicitors and barristers to complement its law centre service.

Further information for Private Practitioners who are already on the Board's Panels.

Panels of solicitors
The first panel covers solicitors who provide services in relation to divorce and separation cases for the Board. This panel was established in October 2006 and will be in place for three years.There are formal terms and conditions for this panel. While there is a single panel, for ease of reference it is listed by county.

The second panel includes solicitors who provide representation in relation to District Court cases such as domestic violence, maintenance, custody, access and guardianship cases. Again, there is a single panel, but for ease of reference it is listed by county.

Solicitors wishing to apply to join the Board’s panels of solicitors should contact the Board’s Private Practitioner Centre.

Panel of barristers
The Board also has an agreement in place with the Bar Council of Ireland. Under the terms of that agreement the Board maintains a panel of barristers who provide services on individual cases for the Board. Barristers interested in joining the Panel should contact the Bar Council.

These panels are maintained in accordance with section 30 of the Civil Legal Aid Act, 1995.

Refugee Legal Service (RLS) Private Practitioner and Barrister Schemes
The Board's Refugee Legal Service (RLS) engages the services of private practitioner solicitors and barristers to submit appeals on behalf of legally aided asylum applicants and represent them before the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. A panel of solicitors and a panel of barristers who are willing to provide legal aid and advice is maintained by the RLS pursuant to Section 30 of the Civil Legal Aid Act, 1995. The RLS decides whether a particular case should be referred to a private practitioner solicitor (PP) or a barrister on the basis of the level of cases on hand and the capacity to deal with cases in-house.

The RLS solicitors’ panel is maintained in accordance with the addendum to the Private Practitioner Scheme of the Legal Aid Board, and the BL panel is maintained in accordance with the agreement between the Legal Aid Board (LAB) and the Bar Council.

Solicitors who are interested in joining the RLS solicitors’ panel should contact the Legal Services Unit of the Refugee Legal Service.

Barristers who are interested in joining the RLS barristers’ panel should contact the Bar Council – or alternatively should contact the Legal Services Unit of the RLS as above.