SRA Higher Rights of Audience Course Non-NTU Award

Level(s) of Study: Professional
Start Date(s): March 2024
Duration: Approximately 12-16 weeks
Study Mode(s): Distance learning / Part-time
Campus: City Campus
Entry Requirements:
More information

Introduction:

Why choose this course?

This is a practical and comprehensive course designed for solicitors who wish to deepen their knowledge and skills in High Court or Crown Court litigation and advocacy to undertake an assessment leading to the award of a Higher Courts (Civil Advocacy) Qualification or a Higher Courts (Criminal Advocacy) Qualification for solicitors. Whilst it is not necessary to take the course to sit the assessments under the current SRA regulations, the sessions provide a useful foundation not just for the assessments, but also on how best to chart a trajectory as a practising solicitor advocate.

Why study at Nottingham Law School?

Nottingham Law School is accredited by the SRA to administer assessments under the SRA Higher Rights of Audience Regulations 2011.
This course is provided by the NLS Centre for Advocacy, which focuses on developing excellence in advocacy and the teaching of advocacy. NLS also provides advocacy training and assessment for barristers and also qualification in litigation and advocacy for chartered patent and trade mark attorneys.
NLS was one of the first providers of Higher Rights of Audience for Solicitors in England and Wales, from the inception of the scheme in 1994. Since that date, it has provided Higher Rights of Audience training and assessment to a variety of international law firms and individual solicitors in both criminal and civil advocacy.

The course was delivered beautifully and I came away actually understanding what is needed to be a high court advocate rather than what I was taught by another provider. So, Thank you.

Higher Rights Delegate, 2024

What you’ll study

Under the current SRA Higher Rights of Audience Regulations, there are two, distinct qualifications: the Higher Courts (Civil Advocacy) Qualification and Higher Courts (Criminal Advocacy) Qualification. To qualify with the equivalent rights as a barrister to appear before all courts and in all divisions, it is necessary to complete both the criminal and civil assessments.

The course and the assessment strategy are driven by the SRA Authorisation of Individuals Regulations and, in particular, regulation 9.10. and the SRA Statement of Standards for Solicitor Higher Court Advocates for Criminal Advocacy and Civil Advocacy.

In addition to the material which must be covered for the purpose of assessment, there will also be the opportunity to develop additional skills and knowledge base central to the development of the advocate over a period of four months from enrolment to assessment.

Further information on what you'll study

Please be aware that all optional/elective modules are subject to availability, and NTU reserves the right to amend, change or withdraw modules at its discretion.

Student Profiles

Jane Rapin

Higher Rights of SRA Higher Rights of Audience Course(Criminal or Civil Advocacy) Qualification for Solicitors

This is a university that genuinely cares about the quality of advocacy and it works hard to ensure that you are competent and confident to take those first steps once you pass.

How you’re taught

In common with all post qualification training provided by Nottingham Law School, this programme is based on “learning by doing”, together with directed reading, exercises, and online self-test questions.

This course has also been designed with the needs of the practising litigation solicitor in mind. The course runs for a period of four months from enrolment for assessment in order to provide the space and time needed to develop, revisit and refine the knowledge base and practical skills of the solicitor advocate. In addition to face-to-face teaching at the law school’s campus in Nottingham (subject to COVID-19 regulations) and online MS Teams seminars, you will also have access to a wide range of online learning materials such as:

practitioner texts via LexisNexis and Westlaw
guided reading from practitioner texts and relevant legislation and case law on procedure, evidence, and professional ethics,
a series of recorded lectures on core areas of the syllabus,
podcasts, film clips, and guidance on advocacy skills.
Live MS Teams delivery of some sessions meaning that you can attend from your office or home.

You can choose from the following courses, either criminal or civil, depending on your level of expertise and the qualification chosen:

March 2024 course dates: Higher Courts (Criminal and Civil Advocacy) Qualification

Welcome and Ethics (online - MS Teams)	Friday 15 March 2024
Evidence and Procedure (Civil and Crime) (online - MS Teams)	Friday 19 April 2024
Advocacy in Person (Criminal and Civil)	Wednesday 15 May 2024
Advocacy in Person (Criminal and Civil)	Thursday 16 May 2024
Advocacy in Person (Criminal and Civil)	Friday 17 May 2024
Revision session 1 (Criminal) (online - MS Teams)	Thursday 30 May 2024
Revision session 1 (Civil) (online - MS Teams)	Thursday 30 May 2024
Assessments (Written)	Monday 10 June 2024
Assessments (Advocacy)	Tuesday 11 June 2024

This online programme means that face to face teaching, whether via MS Teams or on campus, can focus on practical skills such as advocacy or drafting. In total, you should allow for approximately 50 hours of online preparation time in addition to attendance at the live sessions.

Staff Profiles

Christopher Ratcliffe - Senior Lecturer

Nottingham Law School

Christopher Ratcliffe is a Senior Lecturer at Nottingham Law School, NTU and mainly teaches on professional legal and legal practitioner courses.

Alwyn Jones - Lecturer

Nottingham Law School

Alwyn Jones is a Lecturer at the Nottingham Law School, NTU and mainly teaches on the Barristers Training Courses (BTC).

How you’re assessed

There are two assessments:

Written Paper in Evidence, Procedure and Ethics (Civil or Criminal)
Advocacy Assessment (Civil or Criminal)

A candidate wishing to qualify with rights to appear in all courts must, therefore, complete four assessments. A student wishing to qualify for either the criminal or the civil qualification must just take both the relevant Written Paper and Advocacy Assessment

Entry requirements

This course and all assessments are for qualified solicitors admitted in England and Wales only. You do not need to complete the course in order to take the assessments.

Getting in touch

If you need more help or information, get in touch through our enquiry form