Solicitor requesting salary level

Are they asking to see if you can avail of legal aid?

Its probably an anti money laundering question, usually there are standard forms for Know Your Client, so just to get a sense of how you are funding the subject matter.

It may or may not be particularly relevant to your circumstances, but the questions are not customised for each client. If you prefer not to answer, just state so, but if the transaction involves wealth, the solicitor may decline to represent you.

That is unlikely. They do apply KYC principles and ask the relevant questions and ask for ID and proof of address pertaining to establishing and verifying your identity, but asking for your income and the state of your finances are not part of that process, from my recent experience in dealing with financial matters involving lawyers.

You're gone off on a totally makey uppy scenario altogether. The point made was a private doctor would never ask you what your salary was and that is true. Same as any builder, plumber, or other service provider it is absolutely none of their business what you earn and it's simply rude and intrusive to ask.

I'd be inclined to reply - please give me a quote and then if I accept the quote, I'll happily discuss my income with you, before you decide to take it on.

Not a lot of people know this but solicitors are required by law to give potential customers a quotation for the likely cost of services before a customer agrees to proceed with any case.

Any solicitor that asks a potential client how much they are earning should be reported to The Law Society of Ireland.

There are some brilliant solicitors out there and there are more than a few crooks and scumbags qualified.

Perhaps they were looking for potential eligible marriage partners?

Rather than the traditional "do you have any road frontage"

Maybe send an email to the Law Society of Ireland as the regulatory legal body and request guidance about why you may be asked about your salary.

A credit check includes whatever the checker wants.

There’s no obligation on the potential customer to answer, and no obligation on the solicitor to take the business.

Here you are:

"A customer whose funds are not commensurate with their occupation/background."

That is a risk factor from the AMLCU.

Names, ID and addresses sounds like what we would have gotten away with 4 or 5 years ago (I have experience in a different industry).

Btw, the forms change every year and the questionaire is not compulsory, but I would say it is very common for solicitors to use the same questions rather than create their own, hence the OP has been asked by all the solicitors he approached.

No offense, but you don't really know AML, you are limited to a client's perspective in prior years, which is incomplete information and already outdated.

This is a sample questionaire related to the law society, there is probably a more detailed form used if they have engaged someone to manage AML compliance..

https://www.lawsociety.ie/globalassets/documents/members/aml/riskfactorquestionnaire-sample.docx&ved=2ahUKEwjh1cPNjs2AAxXNXUEAHZspBHUQFnoECBYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw2-0eI9s2Q3LJioBLLfqMFl

Your comment regarding proof of source of funds is also directly stated on the questionaire.