Pupillage Advocacy

Pupils are required to satisfactorily complete an advocacy course during their pupillage/work-based learning.

All four Inns and five of the six Circuits provide advocacy training for pupils. Pupils in London or on the South Eastern Circuit are required to attend the course run by their Inn. Please see your Inn/Circuit website for details of available courses.

The Pupillage Advocacy Course provides training on core aspects of advocacy and must be completed in the non-practising (usually your ‘first six’) period of pupillage in order to secure a provisional practising certificate.

Failing to meet the required standard in Pupillage Advocacy

It is expected that most pupils, with the training that they have already undertaken, will achieve more than a minimum level of competence in their advocacy and it will be the intention of your Pupillage Advocacy Course Provider that you should do so. If, however, your trainers are concerned that you may not be achieving the minimum level of competence in any of the core areas, they will refer you to the Course Director and you will be given the opportunity of further training. If you are a member of Middle Temple, Lincoln’s Inn, Gray’s Inn or any of the five Circuits who conduct their own advocacy training, then if, after such further training, you still have not achieved a minimum level of competence in any of the core areas, you will be offered an assessment conducted in accordance with the Stage 3 Pupil Advocacy Procedure Policy (PAPP). If you are a member of Inner Temple you should refer to them for the applicable procedures.

The Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA) oversees this Stage 3 Pupil Assessment Procedure (Stage 3 PAPP). There is no regulatory involvement.

Other than for Inner Temple students, the ICCA’s procedures for a Stage 3 PAPP will be invoked for any pupil who has not met the required competency standard following assessment at a second pupils’ advocacy training course (Stage 2). For detailed information please refer to the ICCA’s Stage 3 Pupil Assessment Procedure Policy.