Having the skills to conduct advocacy in the Higher Courts is a real advantage to a Chartered Legal Executive’s career; as well as enabling you to provide a complete advocacy service to clients, it can enhance your professional status and increase your earning potential.
We are the only CILEx Regulation LTD approved provider of Higher Rights of Audience training and assessment. If you would like to become a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator and Higher Rights Advocate or Chartered Legal Executive Higher Rights Advocate, our Higher Rights of Audience training course will help you prepare for the assessment. Our programme is fully accredited by CILEx Regulation, allowing us to provide CILEX Practitioners with Rights of Audience and Chartered Legal Executive Advocates with the knowledge, skills and qualifications required for practice.
Our Advocacy Training Courses
We offer both civil and criminal advocacy training to help prepare you for Higher Rights Advocacy Assessments. The training is mandatory and will ensure that you are fully prepared for the examinations and that you maximise your performance for the best results.
Where you wish to take the civil or criminal assessments, we offer two day training sessions for both parts of the CILEx Regulation assessment.
- Written Advocacy Training – 2 days
- Practical Advocacy Training – 2 days
Higher Rights of Audience Assessment
Our Advocacy Assessments cover all aspects of written and practical advocacy, giving you and your employer the confidence that you are fully prepared to represent clients and the profession.
The Advocacy Assessment runs in two parts to make it more manageable for candidates and therefore maximise their performance. Like the HRA training that we provide, the assessments are split into two parts; a written examination and a practical assessment. The written examination accounts for 40% of the total mark, and the practical assessment accounts for 60% of the total marks available. You must achieve a minimum of 60% in each of the two parts to pass the Advocacy Assessment.
Please note that ‘interim’ results, i.e. the results of one part of the Advocacy Assessment before the second part has been undertaken, are not released. In all other circumstances, results are only collated, moderated as necessary, and released after both parts of the Advocacy Assessment have been undertaken. Please also note that, as a matter of policy, the University does not release the details of marks.
Please be aware that the University of Law’s Higher Rights Assessment Regulations apply to the undertaking of all Higher Rights assessments. Please also note that final results are released approximately 10 - 12 weeks after the second part of the Advocacy Assessment has been undertaken. This timing is necessitated by the SRA to allow their appointed External Examiner to review all assessment results before they are released and is common to all providers of Higher Rights’ Advocacy Assessments.
Part 1 - Written Examination
This written exam focuses on evidence, ethics, particular advocacy issues, and equality and diversity. It is tailored to either civil or criminal law, depending on your chosen discipline.
You are not permitted to bring your own materials into the written examination but you will be provided with an unannotated ULaw copy of the relevant Blackstone’s text and extracts from the SRA Code of Conduct for reference during the examination.
Please note that training materials and/or notes are not permitted in the examination.
The exam format includes sections in the format of a Question and Answer and a Critical Review of Documentation.
A blank specimen written assessment exam paper is provided with the joining information.
Part 2 - Practical Assessment
This practical assessment examines generic advocacy skills and particular advocacy issues not examined in part one, tailored to either civil or criminal law depending on your chosen discipline.
You will be supplied with the assessment materials seven days prior to the assessment.
By close of business four days prior to the assessment day you will be required to submit a skeleton argument for an interim application/submission on the law (5 marks).
On the assessment day itself, you will be required to:
- Argue an interim application/make a submission on the law (15 marks)
- Submit a trial strategy plan, which can be prepared in advance (5 marks)
- Present an opening speech (7 marks)
- Examine in chief a witness (12 marks)
- Cross-examine a witness (16 marks)
As much as possible, our practical assessments are conducted in a properly contested scenario, with two candidates being assessed at the same time, each representing one of the parties to the dispute, so as to reflect the realism of court advocacy.
Eligibility
Our Higher Rights of Audience courses are available to all CILEX Practitioners with rights of audience and Chartered Legal Executive Advocates who have successfully completed their first renewal of their advocacy certificate.
If you are unsure of your current status with regard to the first renewal of your advocacy certificate, please contact CILEx Regulation at [email protected].
Course Fees
Individual options
Written Advocacy Training
Civil or Criminal
£555 + 20% VAT
Practical Advocacy Training
Civil or Criminal
£555 + 20% VAT
Higher Rights Advocacy Assessment
Civil or Criminal
£555 + 20% VAT
Packages
Written and Practical Advocacy Training, plus HRA Assessment
Civil or Criminal
£1,665 + VAT
Book Now
You can book this course by completing the booking form and returning it to: [email protected]
Book nowFrequently Asked Questions
How does a Chartered Legal Executive get HRA?
On 15 January 2024, the Legal Services Board (LSB) approved CILEx Regulation’s application to enable CRL to authorise eligible CILEX Practitioners with litigation and advocacy rights and Chartered Legal Executive Advocates for Higher Rights of Audience.
CRL has developed two new standards, namely:
- Standards for CILEX higher court advocates for civil proceedings
- Standards for CILEX higher court advocates for criminal proceedings
Members seeking Higher Rights of Audience will be required to demonstrate their knowledge and competence by attending an additional course and assessment, developed based on these standards, to ensure they have the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviours required for a Higher Rights Advocate.
Once applicants have successfully completed the additional training and assessment and met the requirements of the application process, they will be authorised with one of the following titles:
- Chartered Legal Executive Litigator and Higher Rights Advocate (Civil Litigation); OR
- Chartered Legal Executive Litigator and Higher Rights Advocate (Criminal Litigation); OR
- Chartered Legal Executive Higher Rights Advocate.
What are rights of audience for a CILEx member?
Provided they work in a regulated law firm or in-house (not offering services to the public or a section of the public) all CILEX Practitioners with litigation and advocacy rights and Chartered Legal Executive Advocates currently have rights of audience in the lower courts in one of the following areas:
a. Civil proceedings
b. Criminal proceedings
c. Family proceedings
Which members are eligible?
Only those CILEX Practitioners with litigation and advocacy rights and Chartered Legal Executive Advocates who have successfully completed the first renewal of their advocacy certificate will be eligible to apply to undertake the additional training and assessment required for Higher Rights of Audience.