The Courts Service is extending the current online pilot of eLicensing to solicitors’ firms who have licensing applications for premises within District Numbers 1, 2 and 6 (counties Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Louth).
Solicitors’ firms in those selected counties will be able to lodge, pay and track applications for licensing online, once their user account has been activated, on CSOL.
A comprehensive overview of the eLicensing system is portrayed in a series of instructional videos. These videos must be viewed prior to registering for or using CSOL as it will give you a greater understanding of CSOL. Click here for the overview of eLicensing video.
CSOL also provides the facility to search the electronic licensing register (eRegister).
Information on carrying out licensing searches on the eRegister is available through the instruction video link provided. Click here for the video on searching the eRegister
The process which will yield significant benefits, immediately for practitioners participating in the online pilot and further, to all practitioners when it is fully implemented in 2020, as follows;
- Potentially complete the entire licensing application process online
- Reduce/eliminate attendance in court offices in relation to licensing
- Remotely access all your licensing applications
- eService on and advance knowledge of, notice party intentions
- Court Orders available electronically through the system
- Secure online payments supported by internal authorisation processes
- Online eRegisters
- Cost and time savings for solicitor offices
- Case information available through the system
In order to lodge a licensing application online, legal firms must register on CSOL.
Information on the registration process is available below, delivered through various information seminars for practitioners in each of the four counties over recent weeks and explained in detail on our instructional videos which must be viewed by practitioners using CSOL for licensing related business.
The CSOL registration process for Legal Firms
In order that applications can be lodged online, legal firms must register their firm once on the Courts Service Online system (CSOL) and in turn, can create additional users for their firm with varying levels of access.
Google Chrome web browser must be used to enter data and access information on CSOL.
The registration process is a three step process.
Step 1.
The first step is the creation of an account using the website www.csol.ie.
Click on the ‘I’m new to CSOL’ button or the ‘Create Account’ link at the top of the screen which requires the following data to be entered.
Account Type (choose 'Legal Firm Account')
First Name and Last Name (this should be the contact person designated by the firm or office in respect of CSOL as the 'Legal Practice Administrator' user)
Email address (this should be an individual email address), it will be your username on CSOL. We will not permit generic email addresses as user accounts on CSOL such as info@xsolicitors.ie)
Name of Firm or Office (some of this information is pre-populated from data which is provided by the Law Society. If your firm is not in this list, please contact the Law Society directly)
» Law Society Number (this is populated based on the firm of solicitors chosen in the previous field). Likewise, if this number is inaccurate, please contact the Law Society directly
» Firm or Office Address (this is populated based on the firm of solicitors chosen in the previous field). Likewise, if this address is inaccurate, please contact the Law Society directly
» Bank Account Details (as agreed with the Law Society, this should be the Client Account – if you need to pay for an application from your Office Account then a debit/credit card payment from any other account (for example, Office Account) can be selected if desired per each application)
Step 2.
Manual documentation for registration.
The firm/office administrator downloads the relevant documents from CSOL that are required for registration.
These documents should then be completed in hard copy along with other supporting documentation, as set out in CSOL, and returned to;
Central Application Support Unit,
Courts Service,
Circuit and District Court Operations
Phoenix House,
Smithfield,
Dublin 7
D07 F95Y
Step 3.
Activate Firm/Office Account.
When the manual documentation is received by the Courts Service, an email with an activation link issues to the email address provided.
The administrator in the firm/office follows the instructions in the email and activates a firm/office account on CSOL.
The administrator will have full access and responsibility on CSOL to create and manage additional user accounts for their particular firm.
Online guides are available at the following links:
Legal firm registration process
Creating and managing additional user accounts for your firm
Activating user accounts on CSOL
Support for registration or for general use of CSOL is available by emailing casu@courts.ie
Co-operation from Revenue, An Garda Síochána and Fire Officers has been invaluable in extending the online pilot within those counties.
Please note that this is a pilot project, initially for solicitors lodging both licensing applications in District Numbers 1, 2 and 6 and for Circuit Court applications within those counties (Donegal, Sligo, Leitrim and Louth).
Full implementation of the online eLicensing application to the remainder of solicitors countrywide will be planned for early 2020.