Legal studies and opportunities

   

Maynooth University - Pinsent Masons Insight Exchange Programme

The School of Law and Criminology has announced a pilot initiative for the 2025–2026 academic year designed to connect high-performing second-year undergraduate students with legal professionals from the firm’s Dublin office. Applications for the Pinsent Masons Insight Exchange Programme are now open (deadline 27 August), with full details on eligibility and selection criteria listed on the School of Law and Criminology website.
 

Virtual Law Fair (Legal Cheek, UK)

Hosted by Legal Cheek, this event offers a valuable opportunity to engage with over 90 leading law firms from across the UK - all from the convenience of your own device. This is an excellent chance to explore training contract opportunities, expand your professional network, and take meaningful steps toward a career in law. 2 September 2025, from 2–5pm. Register here to secure your place.

  

Funding: MSCA Post-Doctoral Fellowships 2025

This call aims to support researchers’ training, skills and career development and organisations involved in research activities. Deadline: 10 September 2025 5:00pm Brussels time. Click here to view the Access Europe website.
 

Traineeships: Court of Justice of the European Union, Luxembourg

Traineeships (various) at the Court of Justice of the European Union, Luxembourg. This programme will give you the opportunity not only to enrich your training, but also to contribute to the Court's activities, in a stimulating, European and multilingual context. You will meet other young graduate trainees and judges who share the common values of the European Union, founded on democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights. Deadline: 15 September. Click here to view information on the Court of Justice website.
 

Funding: Foran Family Scholarship in Law and Criminology

MU School of Law & Criminology. Applications are NOW OPEN for the Foran Family Scholarship in Law and Criminology. Open to final year students within the School of Law and Criminology. Closing Date - 17 October 2025, 5pm. Click here for information on the MU website. 
 

Queen's University Belfast curated pre-law reading list

Dive into the world of law with QUB's curated pre-law reading list! Recommended by staff, the list offers a diverse mix of books, films, and podcasts to inspire new and returning scholars. From exploring race and rights in Patricia Williams' The Alchemy of Race and Rights to the feminist lens of Northern/Irish Feminist Judgments, spark critical thinking before your law journey begins. Click here to check out the recommendations.

 

Listen: University College Cork BA Criminology ('Find Your Course' podcast)

Dr James Windle, Department of Sociology & Criminology, UCC, joins us for this podcast as we discuss the BA Criminology. The Criminology BA is a window on the world, giving insight into human diversity in complex societies and a textured view of our propensity to err, conflict, blame and punish. This contemporary course combines key topics in the social sciences and law – such as crime, deviance, morality, conflict, censure and justice – with philosophy, history, cultural studies and a language. The result is an exceptional breadth and depth of perspective and context. Click here to listen to the podcast or click here to view UCC BA Criminology course outline.
 
 

Study: Ulster University School of Law Law Graduate Entry programme

Already a graduate? Wish you had a qualifying law degree?  Check out the Law Graduate Entry programme at Ulster University School of Law here and listen to what Dr Emilia Bellew has to say about studying on this course on Bluesky.

  

Study: Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP)

HELP is the main educational Programme of the Council of Europe for legal professionals. Its aim is to train judges, prosecutors and lawyers, but also other professionals, where relevant, on European human rights standards. As well as the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights, HELP covers other Council of Europe instruments such as the European Social Charter or CoE Conventions in key areas like data protection, violence against women or bioethics. A wide array of courses including: Access to Justice for Women; Alternative Measures to Detention and Community Sanctions; Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights; Child–friendly Justice; Cybercrime and Electronic Evidence; Ethics for Judges, Prosecutors and Lawyers; International Cooperation in Criminal Matters; Judges Upholding the Rule of Law; Judicial reasoning and Human Rights; Managing Foreign Prisoners (EuroPris); Personal Data Protection in Publication of Judicial Decisions; Transitional Justice and Human Rights; Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence for Law Enforcement. In order to access them, you will need to log in to your HELP account (click here to create/login to your HELP account). To view the catalogue of courses click here. 

 

Volunteer: Victim Support at Court 

Victim Support at Court, or V-SAC, is the only voluntary service in Ireland dedicated solely to court accompaniment for victims of crime, their families and witnesses. V-SAC's volunteers are extremely important to the support that given to victims and witnesses. Volunteers are provided with training and support to carry out the work effectively. Find out about being a volunteer here, and fill out a volunteer application form here.

 

 

ACJRD Newsletter and notice submissions

If you have submissions relevant for distribution to personnel working in or associated professionally with the criminal justice system, please send them to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and we will consider them for our next newsletter and notices.

Also, we sometimes receive submissions at short notice for events, vacancies and opportunities, so be sure to keep an eye on our News section so you don’t miss these.