British Irish Commercial Bar Association Bursary Competition 2025

The BICBA bursary competition is open to barristers, advocates and solicitors of less than 7 years’ standing practising in England & Wales, Scotland, Ireland or Northern Ireland, and those undergoing training for qualification in those jurisdictions.

The recipient of the bursary will receive the following:

• A payment of up to €3,000 /£2,750 to defray educational expenses to advance their practice in commercial law;
• Support from BICBA throughout the year of the bursary and onward mentorship; and
• An opportunity to speak at the 2026 BICBA Forum in Manchester

Applications should include the following:

• Personal details of the applicant, including educational history;
• Any protected characteristic or other factor which the applicant would wish to be considered as part of the application;
• Details of the educational course/ programme in commercial law toward which the monies would be allocated;
• Details of how the applicant’s completion of the course would enhance and/or promote diversity in commercial legal practice;
• Details of how, in the absence of the bursary, the applicant may not be able to pursue a career in commercial law.

Amy Walsh, partner at Harper Macleod, commented: “This bursary from the British Irish Commercial Bar Association (BICBA) underscores our commitment to fostering inclusivity within commercial law. By helping to ease the pressure of financial barriers, we hope to inspire junior lawyers to pursue and thrive in a profession that benefits from a diverse range of voices. Having been on the BICBA committee for some time now, I’m hoping that we can encourage members of the profession in Scotland to apply this year and showcase the exceptional talent and potential that exists within our jurisdiction.”

Applications may be emailed to enquiries@bicba.org and must be received by 5.00pm on Friday, 7 March, 2025.

For more information: https://www.bicba.com/bicba_bursary/