Higher Rights of Audience (Civil or Criminal)

Please note, the Higher Rights of Audience regulations changed on 31^st January 2021.

Please visit the SRA’s website to find out more about these changes: Higher Rights of Audience Regulation Change.

• Read more about the new Civil Regulations here.
• Read more about the new Criminal Regulations here.

The Higher Rights of Audience qualification is available to any solicitor involved in advocacy work. On completion, it will enable you to conduct advocacy in either the civil or criminal Higher Courts. This course is suitable for you if:

• You already have sufficient advocacy experience and would like to be accredited as a solicitor advocate.
• Would like to enhance your capabilities as a dispute resolution practitioner you can undertake the training alone without the need to undertake the assessment.
• Trainee solicitors and others qualifying as solicitors who wish to take Higher Rights of Audience training as their elective option.

The ability to see a client’s litigation through from start to finish without needing to hire a barrister can be more cost-effective for your client – and more profitable for the firm. Specialist knowledge and expertise in advocacy will also provide your firm a competitive edge. The Higher Rights of Audience qualification is designed to equip you for work in the Higher Courts - the skills and experience you will obtain will help you conduct more effective advocacy in all courts. Aspects of the programme will also enhance your knowledge of evidence and ethics which will help you develop wider litigation expertise.

• Designed and delivered by experienced current or recent practitioners.
• Practical programme to ensure learning is directly applicable in the workplace.
• On successful completion, the course will enable you and your firm to handle all aspects of litigation work on behalf of clients.
• Those with sufficient advocacy experience can choose to take the assessment only option.
• Our Higher Rights Assessments have been accredited by the SRA under the 2021 Regulations.

Is there a need for training?

Although there is no requirement to undertake training before attempting the assessment, in our experience training greatly helps candidates make the transition from lower to Higher Court advocacy. In addition, the SRA’s standards are now more far-reaching and you could be assessed against any of them. We therefore strongly recommend that you undergo training to give yourself the best possible chance of passing the assessment on the first attempt.

You can choose to undertake the Higher Rights of Audience in a number of ways, depending on your current level of advocacy experience and whether or not you wish to simply enhance your skills with our training or if you would like to be accredited as a solicitor advocate.

Options include:

• Assessment only
• Written training only
• Practical training only
• Combined written and practical training – no assessment
• Written training plus assessment
• Practical training plus assessment
• Combined written and practical training with assessment

Format:

• Written Training – 1-day preparation for the written assessment.
• Practical Training – 3-day opportunity to practise advocacy skills in a safe environment with expert trainers.
• Written Assessment – 2½ hour open book exam with an additional 30 minutes of reading time.
• Practical Assessment – Split into two parts – a contested hearing and a mini mock trial.
• All elements are currently delivered Live Online until further notice when some elements may be provided face-to-face in a classroom environment once again.

How is the assessment structured?

The single assessment comprises of two elements; a written examination and a practical advocacy assessment.

Written Element 

This part consists of a 2½ hour examination with an additional 30 minutes of reading time. The paper contains a section of short answer questions based on case studies and a section of multiple-choice questions. You can take permitted materials into the examination (please see the Candidate Handbook for further details).

Practical Element 

This element is split into two parts and lasts for approximately 1 hour. The first part requires you to submit a Skeleton Argument and conduct a contested interim hearing. The second part revolves around a mini mock trial and requires you to be assessed in two of the following areas:

• Opening Speech
• Cross-Examination
• Closing Speech

You will have access to the case papers for the Practical assessment approximately 5 working days before the assessment date. This allows you the appropriate time to prepare your Skeleton Argument (for the interim hearing) and any case law/statutory authorities you wish to rely on (for the mini mock-trial). These will need to be submitted to us prior to the assessment.

Pass Marks

The written part of the assessment accounts for 40% of the total available marks and the practical part 60%. You must achieve a minimum of 60% across both parts (an aggregate mark) to pass the Advocacy Assessment. You will also be required to satisfy the Equality and Diversity and Ethics Standards throughout the assessments.

The two parts of the assessment comprise one assessment and you will only be notified of your final aggregate pass or fail result.

Learning Outcomes

Following this course, you will:

• Enhance your professional standing and reputation.
• Handle all aspects of litigation work on behalf of clients.
• Give the firm you work for a competitive edge.

Although the qualification is designed to equip you for work in the Higher Courts, the skills and experience you will obtain will help you conduct more effective advocacy in all courts. Aspects of the programme will also enhance your knowledge of evidence and ethics which will help you develop wider litigation expertise.

Our training programme is split into two parts: written (1 day) and practical (3 days). You may choose to undertake one or both elements.

Written Training (one day)

The written part of the assessment will centre on the knowledge-based or document-based standards. Our one day written training programme is designed to prepare you to be assessed against all of these standards.

Specifically, it covers:

• Evidence – hearsay, bad character, disclosure, experts etc
• Dealing with vulnerable witnesses.
• Ethics and diversity
• Code of Conduct issues
• Preparation and identification of deficiencies in written documentation such as indictments, particulars of claim etc
• Practice specific elements. For example ADR and Pre-action Protocols for civil and PCMHs and sentencing for criminal

Practical Training (three days)

Our practical training is extremely hands-on and allows you the opportunity to practise your advocacy skills in a safe environment and get detailed feedback from the trainer. We keep trainer to delegate ratios low to maximise one-to-one contact. Our trainers are also assessors, and so they are ideally placed to coach you on your performance and advise you on any areas for improvement ready for the assessment.

The programme covers:

• Trial analysis and planning, including formulating a Trial Strategy Plan
• Preparing and conducting an interim application
• Preparing and delivering an Opening Speech
• Planning and carrying out an Examination-in-Chief
• Preparing for, and conducting, [remove both commas] an effective Cross-Examination
• Preparing and delivering a Closing Speech

Package fees are the same for both the civil and criminal pathway.

• Written and Practical Training & Assessment £1,475 + vat
• Assessment only £495 + vat
• Written + Practical Training £1010 + vat

We can also offer the written or practical training as independent modules. Please call us on 029 2045 1000 to enquire.

For Trainees

• PSC Core Modules & Written and Practical Training £1785.00 +vat
• PSC Core Modules & Written and Practical Training & Assessment £2185.00 +vat

Go to the Professional Skills Course page for more information.