Western Circuit

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Course Directors

Pupils:
Philip Mott Q.C., Outer Temple Chambers
philip.mottqc@outertemple.com

New Practitioners:
Michael Bowes Q.C., Outer Temple Chambers
michael.bowesqc@outertemple.com

Established Practitioners:
Susan Jacklin Q.C.. St. John's Chambers
susan.jacklinqc@stjohnschambers.co.uk

Pupils Programme
Philip Mott Q.C., Outer Temple Chambers

Overview
All pupils must undergo a period of continuing education before they are entitled to receive a practising certificate. This requirement is taken seriously on the Western Circuit and there is an ever-increasing number of judges and senior practitioners who are prepared to give up their free time to help to educate newcomers to this profession. Whilst you are encouraged to attend courses run by your own Inn, you are also expected to attend those organised by the Western Circuit as this is clearly the Circuit which you wish to join. Never underestimate the importance of being seen by and getting to know the senior members of this Circuit.

Philip Mott Q.C., Outer Temple Chambers, London is the Course Director for all Pupil training on the Western Circuit.
Pupils must complete satisfactorily;
(i) a minimum of 9 hours of advocacy training before the end of their first 6 months of pupillage; if you have been given permission to have a reduced pupillage due to having been in an appropriate career before coming to the Bar, and you elect to attend your Advocacy Training on the Circuit, please note you have to complete the entire advocacy training course - both Part I and Part II.
(ii) an Advice to Counsel course before the end of their first 6 months of pupillage;
(iii) a forensic accountancy course run by BPP before the end of their first 3 years of practice.
All the above courses are compulsory. Under (i) and (ii) above please be advised that you must receive an Advocacy Certificate showing you as having passed the course from the Course Director without which the Bar Council will not issue your practising certificate.

You are advised to apply as soon as possible for a place on any of the courses which you wish to attend. Late requests may be refused.
Attendance at part only of a course is not permitted, save for exceptional reasons.
Inform your Pupil Supervisor and your clerk of the dates when you will be on any particular course.

Please do not hesitate to contact Gill Richards, Circuit Secretary, if you have any query on the subject of education on mail@westerncircuit.co.uk

The Circuit website will list courses which you may like to attend and, for the time that you are a pupil any Circuit course apart from the Advice to Counsel course is free.

New Practitioners' Programme

Training Organiser: Michael Bowes Q.C.

New Practitioners (those in their first 3 years of tenancy) must complete satisfactorily a minimum of 45 hours of continuing education to include -
(i) 9 hours of advocacy training; and
(ii) 3 hours of training in ethics.
Extra hours are allowed for preparation time in a ratio of one third of the Advocacy Training hours i.e. 3 hours for Advocacy preparation and 1 for Ethics preparation.
N.B. These hours will be reduced if it is obvious that work has not been put in.
Practitioners between 3 and 7 years call can expect to be required to undertake similar training in the future.

Established Practitioners' Programme

Established Practitioners must complete a minimum of 12 hours of Continuing Education each year. In addition there are new laws brought in and new initiatives introduced by the C.P.S. which need specialist courses and which the Circuit organises. Please note the intention of the Bar Council is that Established Practitioners will also have to undertake Advocacy courses in the future. Further details will be sent to all Western Circuiteers when notified.

Pupillage Pack 2011
(available 1st September)

You will be allocated as Prosecution counsel or Defence Counsel for the Case Assessment workshop on day 2 of the Advice to Counsel course and the subsequent Advocacy Training courses. Please read the brief and check that you know whether you are prosecuting or defending.

You will be sent an e.mail and a username and password to access your brief from the Circuit website. Upon downloading, please immediately send an e.mail to the Circuit office.

Forensic Accounting

The Western Circuit encourages all pupils to make a request to their chambers or firm that they attend a Forensic Accounting course during their pupillage. A forensic accountancy course is run by BPP and pupils have to attend before the end of their first 3 years of practice. The contact at BPP is Michelle Barreiro.

The Western Circuit undertakes to provide training at both sides of the Circuit - Bristol and Winchester are the usual training centres. Although the Training team would be very happy to take training further west, the cost of using the Crown Court in Exeter precludes this.