Two bursaries will support social mobility in the profession
The ACL is to provide two students a year with a fully funded scholarship to qualify as a Costs Lawyer.
The Costs Lawyer Professional Qualification, which currently costs £6,720 to complete, was launched in 2023 to disrupt the traditional learning route previously on offer for those seeking a career in costs and to break the boundaries that discourage some from pursuing their passion in law.
The two-year, part-time online programme is the only course accredited by the Costs Lawyer Standards Board (CLSB) and is delivered by ACL Training. It has already enrolled 125 students since launching in September 2023.
The course, which welcomes a new cohort every February and September, comprises a Diploma in Civil Practice, a Diploma in Costs Law and Practice and an Award in Costs Advocacy.
It is suitable for costs draftspeople, non-law and law graduates, paralegals, legal assistants, regulated lawyers, and those seeking to update their skills. Those with law degrees and other legal qualifications may be entitled to certain exemptions.
ACL will fund a scholarship for each cohort and applications are now open for the February intake. Alongside the usual mandatory criteria for paying applicants, scholarship applications will need to have attended a state-funded school and achieved five GCSEs.
Applicants will also need to detail their motivations for applying and explain why they feel they would benefit from the scholarship.
ACL vice-chair David Bailey-Vella said: “Social mobility has been a key factor in our decision-making at ACL for several years and we believe these scholarships will allow many talented people to enter the sector who previously may not have been able to so.
“We are actively encouraging applicants who may feel their background has placed them at a disadvantage to outline their motivations for wanting to enrol and to share their backgrounds while applying for a scholarship.
“The cost law profession is essential to the legal sector. Without professionals diligently providing cost advice to the justice system is unable to run smoothly and can create lengthy disputes that inhibit the courts from dealing with other pressing matters.
“We look forward to welcoming our first scholar in the New Year and to seeing the ongoing positive impacts that diversity continues to bring to our profession.”
The closing date for applications is 15 January 2025 for the February 2025 intake.
To apply for a scholarship, click here.