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Pupils Advocacy Course

The Inner Temple Pupils' Advocacy Course has at its core a residential weekend, held at Wotton House near Dorking, Surrey.

During the three-day course, pupils participate in a session on presentational skills led by professional actors, followed by a series of talks on examination in chief, cross-examination and re-examination, skeleton arguments, previous convictions and previous inconsistent statements. Practical sessions focus on closing speeches and witness handling for both civil and criminal cases.

Each pupil is video-reviewed throughout the weekend to give him or her the opportunity to identify and correct any bad habits which affect their overall advocacy performance.

In addition to the weekend, pupils attend an introductory session at the Inn and two case analysis evenings to help them prepare for the cases used at the weekend. They also take part in a full mock trial held at the Royal Courts of Justice, and attend a day at the Inn spent on interlocutory applications.

The exercises are taught by barristers and judges of all levels, who have been trained in advocacy teaching, and many of whom are also Benchers of the Inner Temple. The witness roles at the mock trials are played by student members of the Inn on the Bar Professional Training Course. The exercises provide basic advocacy confidence and experience, allowing pupils the opportunity to be assessed and receive constructive criticism from highly experienced practitioners, in a more relaxed and supportive environment, away from the pressures of chambers and tenancy decisions.

The course is run twice each year; the dates for 2019/20 are as follows. For the Applications Days and Mock Trials, pupils will be assisgned to ONE of the listed dates nearer the time:

Course A - October/November 2019
Tuesday 8 October - Intro Evening at The Law Society, Chancery Lane (6pm to 8.30pm)
Monday 14 October - Criminal Case Analysis at The Law Society, Chancery Lane (5.45pm to 8.30pm)
Tuesday 15 October - Civil Case Analysis at The Law Society, Chancery Lane (5.45pm to 8.30pm)
Friday 25 (10am) to Sunday 27 October (1pm) - Residential weekend and Wotton House, Dorking, Surrey
Saturday 9 and 16 November - Applications Days at Kings College London (9am to 3pm)
Wednesday 20, Thursday 21, Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 November - Mock trials at the Royal Courts of Justice (5.30pm to approx. 7.30pm)

Course B - January/February 2020
Thursday 9 January - Intro Evening at The Law Society, Chancery Lane (6pm to 8.30pm)
Tuesday 14 January - Criminal Case Analysis at The Law Society, Chancery Lane (5.45pm to 8.30pm)
Thursday 16 January - Civil Case Analysis at The Law Society, Chancery Lane (5.45pm to 8.30pm)
Friday 24 (10am) to Sunday 26 January (1pm) - Residential weekend and Wotton House, Dorking, Surrey
Saturday 8 and 15 February - Applications Days at Kings College London (9am to 3pm)
Wednesday 19, Thursday 20, Monday 24 and Tuesday 25 February  - Mock trials at the Royal Courts of Justice (5.30pm to approx. 7.30pm)

Pupils will be assigned to either Course A or Course B once the Inn has received notification from the Bar Standards Board that their pupillage is fully registered.

All pupils will attend the Practice Management Course on Saturday 11 January 2020 at King’s College London.

 

 

Pupils' Advocacy Weekend Feedback

"This year’s advocacy training weekend at Wotton House was hard work and great fun in equal measure. The beautiful rural setting provided an idyllic backdrop to what was a highly intensive and rewarding course. Alastair Hodge and his team of trainers, members of the Inn who had selflessly given up their weekends for our benefit, led small groups of pupils for set-piece advocacy exercises, both criminal and civil. These sessions were interspersed with informative lectures and excellent advocacy demonstrations. "Everyone got a great deal out of the course in terms of professional development, but it was also a welcome opportunity to catch up with old friends and to make new ones. It was helpful to be able to ask senior members of the Inn their advice on pupillage and on starting out in practice, but also to swap notes with fellow pupils on their pupillage experiences so far. Altogether it was a very rewarding weekend and a real highlight of Inner Temple’s pupillage training programme."
"The Advocacy Training weekend was an excellent way of bringing together all our studies and refining our advocacy techniques to prepare us for our second six. We arrived at Wotton House and began with a drama exercise (which involved a lot of jumping!) and which helped to break the ice. We then commenced the advocacy exercises. We covered everything we need to know for our practice; closing speeches, examination in chief, cross examination. We completed the exercises in small groups which provided for detailed feedback. We then individually went with our recordings of the advocacy exercise to review it for further feedback. It was a fantastic opportunity to observe yourself critically, see what you do well, what you need to improve and the constructive comments you receive are invaluable. "The weekend also provided the opportunity to observe experienced barristers demonstrating advocacy techniques and giving their top tips. A beautiful setting, an opportunity to learn and to receive unparalleled feedback, the pupils’ advocacy weekend was a hugely rewarding experience."
"The Pupil Advocacy Course was an invaluable opportunity for pupils to hone case preparation and advocacy skills before commencing “second six”. The highlight of the course was the residential weekend at Wotton House Conference Centre in Surrey. I had been warned about the drunkenness and debauchery which occurs on these weekends. In fact, the weekend was organised with military precision and packed full of practical and relevant sessions run by experienced and dedicated practitioners and Judges. The advocacy exercises were carried out in small groups with two or three trainers. Whilst these sessions were challenging and initially a little daunting, they allowed the trainers to give detailed and constructive feedback. By the end of the course all the pupils felt far better equipped to face the perils of second six. As for drunkenness and debauchery; this stretched to a glass of wine and a game of giant “Jenga” before collapsing into bed!"

For further information

David Miller

Professional Training Manager

Phone

020 7797 8209

Email

dmiller@innertemple.org.uk

Bio

Pupils' Advocacy Courses, New Practitioners' Advocacy and Ethics Weekends, Advocacy Master Classes, CPD enquiries, Advocacy Teacher Training, Pupillage Advice, Bar Association Events.

David Miller

Professional Training Manager

Phone

020 7797 8209

Email

dmiller@innertemple.org.uk

Bio

Pupils' Advocacy Courses, New Practitioners' Advocacy and Ethics Weekends, Advocacy Master Classes, CPD enquiries, Advocacy Teacher Training, Pupillage Advice, Bar Association Events.

David Miller

Professional Training Manager

Phone

020 7797 8209

Email

dmiller@innertemple.org.uk

Bio

Pupils' Advocacy Courses, New Practitioners' Advocacy and Ethics Weekends, Advocacy Master Classes, CPD enquiries, Advocacy Teacher Training, Pupillage Advice, Bar Association Events.