The Student Experience
The Law School is distinguished by the friendly and collegial relations between staff and students. All staff, both academic and administrative, are committed to ensuring that your time in Trinity is rewarding and fulfilling. As students, you learn both formally through our educational programmes and informally in other settings. We encourage you to participate in the many student organisations that focus on law-related activities. The Law Soc is the general society for all law students. The Free Legal Advice Centres (FLAC) society helps to provide free legal advice to those who cannot afford to pay for it. The European Law Students Association provides a network for interaction with law students from other universities. The Trinity College Law Review is Ireland's oldest student-edited law journal. The Trinity Law Student Colloquium each year organises a conference at which students from all around the world present their research. In addition, the School organises a number of events for staff and students, such as coffee mornings, public lectures, a Christmas party, a walk around Howth and the famous Law School Cabaret. Through participation in these events, along with the other great clubs and societies in College, you will greatly enhance your educational experience. The College also provides a wide range of pastoral supports that help you adjust to Trinity and that are there to support you if you encounter any difficulties at all. This page will provide you with details of some of the services and activities that are available to our students.
Tutorial Service
Every Trinity College Dublin undergraduate student is assigned a Tutor. A Tutor is a member of academic staff. In the case of students reading for a law degree, Tutors are generally members of the Law School. Your tutor can discuss both academic and pastoral matters with you. If you have concerns on any matters affecting your time and study in Trinity you can talk to your Tutor. If your Tutor can't help, s/he will refer you to someone who can. Everything you say to your Tutor is in strict confidence. Unless you give him/her permission to do so, s/he will not give any information to anybody else, whether inside College or outside (to your parents/family for example). Your Tutor can only help you if s/he knows you are facing difficulties, so if you are worried about anything go and see your Tutor before things get out of hand. Whilst your tutor may not be in a position to solve the underlying problem, they can help you find the best way to limit the impact of your situation on your College work. Tutors are there to help, the can and often do make a difference.
When you register you will be assigned a Tutor. If you are unsure of who your tutor is please contact the Senior Tutor's Office or the Law School Office for advice. Postgraduate students should contact the Postgraduate Advisory Service.
See also: https://www.tcd.ie/Senior_Tutor.
S2S (Student-2-Student) Mentoring
The Law School introduced a Peer Mentoring service many years ago. This service has now been strengthened and mainstreamed by the University and the S2S Mentoring Service is now in place for all incoming Junior Freshman (first year) students. S2S is a student-led initiative designed to ensure any student in Trinity can get information and support from another student, talk things through or just ask a few questions when you're not sure who to approach. In your Orientation week (Freshers week) you will have the opportunity to meet with your 2 mentors. Mentors are generally senior students on the same degree programme as you. Throughout your first year, your Mentor will contact you regularly. They are available to help you settle into College life, navigate your way around the library and answer any questions you may have about your course, assignments or general matters that perhaps you are too shy to ask your Tutor or Lecturer.
All S2S Mentors are trained Peer Supporters, who will talk confidentially to you. Their role is to help you settle into University life and be another friendly face to meet for a coffee and chat.
New 2 Dublin Group
This group is for TCD students who are new in town (both international and Irish) as well as those who have already spent part or all of their life in Dublin and would like to meet other nationalities. Our meetups provide a great opportunity to meet like-minded people and share fun times together.
Meeting people with New 2 Dublin is very easy and you will find a friendly and easygoing atmosphere. At each event, you will find N2D representatives (who are also students) who will welcome you, introduce you to others and who will answer any questions you might have including information about college, where you can get the best deals, and lots of useful cultural and practical information.
The regularly organised events are varied to suit everybody, regardless of age, nationality, religion, and status. Some upcoming events include Dublin tours, weekly coffee and chats, academic workshops, dining out, nights out, and much more! Check out our calendar below to see our upcoming events and RSVP to any you might like to attend.
Details are available New2Dublin on the S2S website/ for further details.
The Law Student Colloquium
The Colloquium is a prestigious student conference at which law students of all levels present their work to their peers. It is held annually at Trinity College and organised by a committee of undergraduate and postgraduate students from the Law School. It has become usual for over 100 delegates to attend the conference, at which dozens of student speakers from Ireland and abroad contribute to all aspects of legal scholarship.
In previous years the Colloquium has been addressed by Mr Justice Ronan Keane, Mrs Justice Catherine McGuinness and Mr Justice Gerard Hogan. The encouragement of undergraduate speakers is a core mission of the organising committee and prizes are awarded to the best undergraduate participants. Successive committees have worked hard to ensure that no attendance fee is charged. To this end, sponsorship has been secured from law firms and the Friends of the Colloquium, barristers who support the event. Involvement in the colloquium enables students to gain valuable skills in organisation, communication and legal research.
Societies and Sports Clubs
Trinity College has over 130 societies and clubs, catering for all interests. Several societies cater specifically for law students, the Law Society, the European Law Students’ Association and the College Branch of the Free Legal Advice Centre Ltd. There are approximately 50 sports clubs governed by Dublin University Central Athletics Club (DUCAC). The College has a state-of-the-art Sports Centre on campus which includes a swimming pool, sauna and steam rooms, basketball, badminton, volleyball courts and 5-a-side soccer pitch. Also located on campus are squash courts, tennis courts, rugby, football and cricket pitches and a summer athletics track. See www.tcdlife.ie/clubs-societies and www.ducac.tcdlife.ie
D.U. Law Society
The Law Soc., as it is affectionately known, has been at the very heart of students' social lives for over 65 years. It hosts weekly social and law-related events to ensure students have the best possible college experience. It is renowned in College for having two of the best balls in Trinity. This opulent black tie Law Ball is undoubtedly a highlight every year with revellers dancing long into the night to celebrate another action packed Law Soc. The Swing Ball is the other ball of the year, where students swing to their heart's content as a live Swing band belts out all the crooner classics.
The Society is not just about lavish balls, however. An annual trip to Galway, mock trial competition, mooting and debating competitions are just some of the vast array of events held throughout the year. Law Soc also seeks to give back and annually runs "Law Day", a day where students head out to the streets of Dublin and raise money for a chosen charity.
The Law Soc. also tries to make a difference with your career. They have a designated Careers Liaison Officer whose job it is to make sure members are aware of all the best available career opportunities. They also host frequent career related talks so Law Soc. members can stay abreast of all that is current in the legal world. In essence, the Law Soc. forms an essential part of the Trinity Law experience and provides a group of people whose very goal is to make sure students’ time in Trinity is an enjoyable one.
F.L.A.C. (Free Legal Advice Centre)
Trinity's branch of FLAC is a student society. At the heart of FLAC's existence is the concern that the law is accessible to all in society, not just to the privileged few. FLAC has played a key role in shaping the changing landscape which eventually saw the Government’s introduction in 1980 of the first ever civil legal aid scheme.
Trinity FLAC runs FREE legal advice clinics on a weekly basis throughout the year for ALL students, given by a fully qualified barrister or solicitor. No advance notice is required in order to attend a clinic.
Trinity FLAC is represented on the Trinity Volunteer Opportunities Forum (TVOF), which acts as a link between College and the student volunteering societies. It also works closely with the national office of FLAC. In addition to the clinics, FLAC runs numerous awareness and information campaigns to highlight areas in need of reform and unravel the mystery of law for those whom it affects. Trinity FLAC could-ordinates a number of research projects on various social justice and human rights issues, with research completed by students. The society also holds both an intervarsity and an internal public interest law moot court competition, where the winners are awarded an internship. See www.trinityflac.ie
E.L.S.A. (European Law Students' Association)
ELSA is the world's largest independent law students association operating at nearly 300 law faculties in 42 countries across Europe with in excess of 30,000 members. ELSA's core purpose is to contribute to legal education and to promote social responsibility amongst students and young lawyers. ELSA provides its members with the opportunity to become internationally minded and professionally skilled and to learn about other cultures and legal systems.
ELSA TCD is an extremely active society and membership opens up a vast network of opportunities and experiences. Some distinguishing features of ELSA are its International Moot Court Competition (EMC2); its publications, including Selected Papers on European Law (SPEL) and Synergy Magazine, its international seminars and conferences and STEP (Student Trainee Exchange Programme), which offers students the unique opportunity to undertake a legal internship abroad.
The Hist and the Phil
The Hist and Phil are the two most active debating societies in college as well as being amongst the oldest in the world. The weekly debates (the Hist on Wednesday nights and the Phil on Thursday nights) in the GMB provide a forum for discussion of topical ideas as well as hearing the opinions of those in the 'know'. Normally, weekly debates attract a regular crowd but for the big events, it is better to turn up early. Private Business starts at 7.30pm with public business at 8.00 pm. See the Hist and TCD Phil for further information.
Trinity College Law Review (T.C.L.R.)
The Trinity College Law Review is a law journal published entirely by the students of the Law School.
Currently in its twenty-first year, the TCLR is Ireland’s oldest and leading student-edited law journal. We receive around 140 submissions to our annual volume each year, from students and recent graduates around the world. We publish the review in February of each year. We also publish during the year via our internet platform, TCLR Online. In addition to producing a respected journal, the TCLR prides itself on promoting discourse by means of its Distinguished Speaker Series. Former guests include Ruth Bader-Ginsburg, Lord Hoffman, Mary McAleese and Chief Justice Susan Denham.
The TCLR comprises a junior and a senior editorial board. The junior board is comprised entirely of first years and there is no legal writing or other experience required to be considered for a place. It is a fantastic way of getting to know people in your own year as well as people in senior years. The senior board is largely made up of former junior editorial board members and most junior board members go on the apply for a position on the senior board.
The Eagle
The Eagle is a unique publication of its kind in both Trinity College and Ireland, published bi-annually by the law students of Trinity College. The Eagle aims to give students a platform to write about legal and political issues that are pertinent to them. It is a forum which also aims to bring life after college to an accessible level, with a featured careers section with advice and interviews from former alumni of Trinity College and law graduates. Furthermore, the social section serves as a snapshot of the best social nights hosted for law students. The Eagle welcomes submissions on a broad range of topics from all disciplines. It serves as a great opportunity for students to publish their work on issues that they are passionate about.
International Student Societies
There are many societies run by Trinity's international students. They are seen as a home away from home, providing invaluable support for new students. These societies aren't exclusively for international students. All students are welcome to join. They help bring together the rich and diverse traditions of international students and facilitate cultural integration. Some examples can be found below:
International Students' SocietyThe Society was founded in 1984 to promote communication between the Irish students of Trinity College and those coming from abroad. The society is one of Trinity's most active, with over 500 members it organises regular weekly events, including talks and presentations, film showings, visits to cultural sites in Dublin and beyond. If you want to explore Ireland, meet fellow international students, and Irish students from outside your course, then the International Students' Society can provide help and support in adjusting to life away from home.
Chinese SocietyThe Chinese Society is very active in promoting relations between Chinese students and students of other nationalities. It organises a wide range of events such as Chinese language classes by teachers with TCFL qualification (Teach Chinese as a Foreign Language), movie nights, dinner parties and trips to well-known landmarks in Ireland. The society celebrates the main Chinese festivals, such as the Chinese New Year and Mid-autumn festival. It also supports its members in finding accommodation and giving travel advice for both Ireland and China, as well as in advertising available summer jobs in China.
Indian SocietyThe Indian Society showcases the vibrancy of Indian culture hosting regular Bollywood film nights, cooking parties and cultural events in accordance with Indian festivals! For the Festival of Colours or Holi, Front Square of College is transformed as Trinity students throw scented powder at each other. During the filming of the Bollywood movie Ek Tha Tiger in Trinity College in 2011, members of the Indian Society were active on the ground promoting the movie. The Indian Society also focuses on providing Indian students with a home away from home.
Afro-Caribbean SocietyThe Afro-Caribbean Society provides a forum for students of all nationalities to celebrate the rich cultural traditions of the diverse African and Caribbean regions. The society organises a wide range of classes such as African djembe drumming, zumba, salsa and hip-hop dancing. Upon learning new skills, members of the society have the opportunity to exhibit their drumming and dancing talents at Afro-Caribbean social events. Members have drummed in the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, filling the streets of Dublin with infectious lively rhythms.
Russian SocietyThe Russian Society actively promotes Russian traditions through a range of cultural nights. Trinity students have the opportunity to learn the Russian language and become acquainted with the richness of Russian poetry and art. Entertaining activities are organised throughout the year such as chess evenings, pub nights and skating trips. Lectures are also facilitated with speakers invited to discuss contemporary Russia.