CPD Training (UK) Limited is in the process of setting up multiple Civil Higher Rights of Audience training
courses in Leeds.
The course which comprises 2 days of training and 1 day of assessment will be carried out in a central Leeds location. The training will be held on weekends to minimise disruption to fee-earning. The assessment, for which you will be fully trained will take place on the following Saturday.
The Training
We are offering a 2 day public programme which will do much more than prepare you for the assessment. You will learn about Professional Conduct and Courtroom Etiquette; Diversity Awareness; Civil Procedure; the Law of Evidence including hearsay, relevance, admissibility and weight; and most importantly Case Analysis.
You will learn and practise techniques of confident public speaking, persuasion, questioning skills including cross-examination, handling expert witnesses, making submissions of law and delivering trial speeches.
You will also learn and practise the skills of an effective advocate in Interim Applications.
Each performance on the training course will receive focused, positive and helpful feedback from a very experienced trainer.
We are also adept in assisting candidates with special needs.
The Regulations
Under the 2010 Regulations, any solicitor or Registered European Lawyer who wishes to exercise rights of audience in the higher courts must first pass an advocacy assessment.
The Regulations do not include any requirement that candidates have advocacy experience or training, but we strongly advise people to take the training we offer, because it will prepare them properly for the assessment.
We are authorised to assess in Civil Advocacy only. If you wish to pursue a qualification in Criminal Advocacy we can put you in touch with some suitable assessment providers.
The Standards
You will be assessed according to the Standards laid down by the SRA. You will not be required to meet every Standard in an assessment but you will be trained in each of them. You will not be told which Standards you will be assessed upon.
You must achieve a mark of 60% in the assessment to pass. If not, you will be required to sit an entirely new assessment.
The marking scheme is weighted according to the SRA's requirements
The Assessment
The assessment will take one day to complete. You will be required to complete a 90 minute written examination on Professional Conduct, Diversity Awareness, Evidence and Civil Procedure. You will then be assessed on your performance in an Interim Application; the handling of a witness in an examination-in-chief or a cross-examination; and in a submission of law or a trial speech.
A typical assessment day will look like this.
You will be given the assessment case study well in advance of the assessment, and told which party you will be appearing for and which witness you will be handling.
The witness will be played by an actor and your performances will be video-taped.
All assessments will be marked, checked and submitted to an Assessment Board. The whole process will be scrutinised by an independent external examiner appointed by the SRA.
Your result will be available within 6 weeks of the assessment or earlier. We will provide feedback to any candidate who wishes it but we will not disclose any marks save to say whether a candidate has passed or failed.