Courses for lawyers: the ICAV legal-aid duty scheme course closes enrolment on 30 October and the ICAS access course continues 2026/2027

Two bar-association training programmes have dates worth noting over these weeks: the ICAV's Specialisation Course for the Legal Aid Duty Scheme (Turno de Oficio), whose enrolment closes on 30 October, and the ICAS Professional Access Course for Lawyers and Court Agents, which has its third payment due before 16 December.

The ICAV legal-aid duty scheme: 11th and final edition

The Ilustre Colegio de Abogados de Valencia has called the 11th edition of its Specialisation Course for the Legal Aid Duty Scheme, open only to ICAV members. It is key training for anyone wanting to join the duty roster: one of the requirements for entering the ICAV Turno de Oficio, in the absence of the legal practice diploma or the Master's in Law, is to prove three years of effective practice plus the diploma of this specialisation course.

The programme combines 98 in-person classroom hours with 102 hours of practical training, consisting of three duty shifts of any kind (criminal, domestic violence, minors or immigration) and attendance at the Legal Guidance Service (SOJ). Sessions run from November 2026 to April 2027.

• Enrolment: open until 30 October 2026 at 08:00.
• Fee: 800 euros, with the option of paying in two instalments of 50%.
• Who it is for: ICAV members only.

The duty-scheme context changed this month with Royal Decree 824/2026, which strengthens free legal aid and improves the compensation of duty-scheme professionals; we analyse it in Legal aid duty scheme: the new modules of Royal Decree 824/2026.

The ICAS access course for lawyers and court agents: payment calendar

The Seville Bar Association keeps open the process of its Professional Access Course for Lawyers and Court Agents 2026/2027, now on its fourth cohort. The course has a total fee of between 1,250 and 7,000 euros depending on the case, with this payment calendar for admitted students:

1. Enrolment formalisation: 2,500 euros (first and second calls, now closed).
2. Second payment: by 13 September 2026 (2,500 euros, now closed).
3. Third payment: before 16 December 2026, for 2,000 euros, or 1,250 euros in the case of children of ICAS members.

In other words, the next milestone in force for admitted students is the December payment. The course page also explains that formalisation followed a personal interview with the candidates.

Why training should be planned with a calendar

Both access to the profession and specialities with their own requirements (legal aid duty scheme, mediation, supervised practice) work through calls with closed deadlines. Missing an enrolment date usually means waiting a full year, so we recommend members review their bar association's calls at the start of each month. The associations' job boards and guidance services also publish free or subsidised courses for members, which we review when announced.

In the case of the duty scheme, training is only part of the requirement: counting the three years of effective practice and the practical duty shifts requires prior organisation, especially for those combining independent practice with preparation. Anyone starting out can also review registration and invoicing obligations in our Self-employed lawyers guides.

More training for lawyers

If you are looking for other options, we regularly review master's degrees and courses, such as the ICAB Master's in Real Estate Law and Legal Languages 2026-2027. And if your bar association, university or firm organises a course for lawyers, you can propose it for publication following our guide How to publish your course for lawyers on Agente Lex. The full current offer is in our Training section.