Bar Course Design Assistant

The Council of the Inns of Court (COIC) is a charity with the object of advancing education in the administration and practice of the law, including promoting high standards of advocacy. COIC advances this principally through the activities of the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA) which provides leadership, guidance and co-ordination in relation to the pursuit of excellence in advocacy and professional ethics for barristers. The role of the ICCA is now expanding to include the vocational training of barristers.

 

The ICCA Bar Course

Reforms introduced by the Bar Standards Board (BSB), permit the development and delivery of a radically different Bar Professional Training Course – the essential qualification required for a career as a barrister – with the aim of increasing flexibility, accessibility, affordability and sustaining high standards in the delivery of Bar training.

The Inns of Court are determined to make the Bar more accessible to the ablest people. Working through COIC, they are creating a two-stage Bar Course that will deliver, via the ICCA, high quality training at an affordable price; facilitating access to the profession to those who are barred by the high cost and high risk inherent in the present regime.

The ICCA course will be a flexible and blended programme that utilises both online and face­ to-face components with a strong focus on high standards in both phases. The course will be delivered from August 2020.

 

Key Responsibilities

Reporting to Head of Online Learning, the Design Assistant will have responsibility for:

Supporting the Course Design Team by:

  • Developing knowledge-based assessments, such as reading quizzes.
  • Drafting multiple-choice questions for formative assessments.
  • Reviewing questions prepared by contractor contributors.
  • Proof reading and editing of course content.
  • Drafting course materials under the supervision of a lead academic

Supporting the Head of Online Learning by:

  • Reviewing course materials on the ICCA’s online platform.
  • Coordinating and managing content testing/piloting and quality assurance.

Supporting the Dean of the ICCA by:

  • Providing the ‘student voice’ in course design meetings.
  • Contributing to non-academic elements of the course as required, such as admissions and marketing.

 

Person Specification

  • Graduate of the BPTC within the last 24 months, with a minimum grade of Very Competent.
  • Up to date knowledge of Criminal and Civil Litigation as well as a good understanding of basic legal principles. Some practical legal experience would be advantageous.
  • The ability to conduct legal research thoroughly and efficiently.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills and the ability to present complex information regarding litigation in a clear and concise manner.
  • Excellent attention to detail in all respects and an ability to proof-read and edit teaching materials.
  • Highly competent with MS Office, particularly MS Word and PowerPoint.
  • Good interpersonal skills, particularly listening and responding constructively to other team members’ ideas and a willingness to be open about concerns and expressing disagreement constructively.
  • Demonstrable track-record of working alone and managing workload.
  • A good team worker who is willing to support other team members and a strong collaborative approach.
  • A flexible approach, including the willingness to attend early morning and evening meetings as required.
  • The ability to work to and manage deadlines effectively.
  • Experience of learning online and the use of online learning environments in Higher Education.

 

The Contract

COIC is seeking to appoint the Design Assistant on a six-month fixed-term contract. There will be a three­month probationary period.

  • Salary £30,000 per annum per annum (pro-rata)
  • 25 days paid holiday plus bank holidays per annum (pro-rata)
  • Death in Service Benefit
  • 15 % Defined Pension Contribution by the employer (after 3 months)
  • Private Health Insurance (after completion of three-month probationary period).

Location: The ICCA is based at 9 Gray’s Inn Square, London WC1R 5JD. Other flexible arrangements may be agreed with the Dean of the ICCA.

The ICCA values equality and diversity and is committed to ensuring its processes and procedures are fair, transparent and free from unlawful discrimination.

Applicants should send a CV and covering letter to info@icca.ac.uk by noon on Friday 20 December 2019.