The Professional Skills Course is a compulsory course designed to help those training to become a solicitor in England and Wales develop the skill set required of an effective lawyer. As a long-standing SRA accredited provider, BARBRI Altior delivers a PSC course that ensures trainee solicitors become competent to practise and can meet the ever-evolving needs of their clients. The course consists of four core modules, combined with 24 hours of electives (where applicable). With our complete PSC now available to complete online, the potential to pick and mix between on and offline learning for a truly blended flexible approach has never been easier.
Audience
The PSC course must be completed as part of a trainee solicitor’s compulsory training, during the training contract or by FCILEx members wishing to become qualified.
Why take the PSC with BARBRI Altior?
- Flexible and convenient course format.
- Wide and varied choice of electives.
- Recordings of Live Online sessions provided after the course to assist with revision.
- Public courses and, in addition, provisions for the Public Sector, City firms and firms who wish to run the course in house.
- Expert trainers delivering high-quality knowledge and skills training.
- A bespoke learning management system (LMS)
- A completely interactive experience, using scenarios and case studies to embed learning.
- For firms specialising in commercial and corporate work, we also offer a tailored ‘City’ version of the course that delivers the PSC content using relevant case studies and scenarios.
- A certificate is issued following successful completion of the course which can be submitted to the SRA.
- BARBRI Guarantee: Free FBS exam re-sit if you are unsuccessful on your first attempt.
When it comes to your career progression, you choose the provider with a proven track record of success. BARBRI is the world leader in legal education and exam preparation. We bring that same expertise, personalised support and innovative approach to our HRA training, which we have been doing for more than 20 years. We don’t just prepare you for the assessment – we prepare you for the courtroom.
Complete Preparation, The BARBRI Way
Our HRA training is designed to build your confidence and competence in the various essential aspects of Higher Courts preparation and advocacy, and specifically prepares you for the new SRA assessment format, focusing on the practical skills that matter most.
Comprehensive Written + Practical Training
Our complete HRA course is designed for busy professionals seeking the most effective preparation available. Three days of intensive scheduled online training on written and practical advocacy skills, plus six hours of on-demand online learning, will give you all the knowledge and practice you need to succeed in the assessment.
Live Online Training + Flexible Scheduling
We understand the demands of your career. Our course is delivered through engaging, live online sessions, offering you the flexibility to learn from anywhere without compromising on interactive, real-time instruction. Our flexible scheduling includes on-demand pre-learning and three live sessions delivered over a three-week period to minimise time out of work.
Expert Tutors + Personalised Feedback
Learn from the best. Our instructors are all seasoned solicitors and barristers – and Higher Court Advocates themselves – bringing real-world courtroom experience directly to you. We keep trainer-to-delegate ratios low to maximise one-to-one contact.
Practical Advocacy Skill Workshops
Move beyond theory. Participate in interactive workshops covering essential aspects of advocacy, from procedure to persuasive speech. You will practice and refine the skills under the guidance of our experts, who have also been HRA assessors and are ideally placed to coach and advise you on any areas for improvement.
Mock Assessment Scenarios
Practice makes perfect. Engage in realistic mock scenarios, including mini-trials, cross-examinations and closing speeches, to build your performance under pressure.
Maximum Retention
Training dates are scheduled ahead of each assessment sitting window to
ensure maximum retention of knowledge and skills when undertaking the HRAassessments.
Who is the HRA Course Suitable For?
The Higher Rights of Audience qualification is available to any solicitor involved in advocacy work. In particular, this course is suitable for you if you:
- Already have sufficient advocacy experience and would like to be
accredited as a solicitor advocate. - Would like to enhance your capabilities as a dispute resolution
practitioner – without needing to undertake the assessment. - Are a trainee solicitor or other legal professional qualifying as a solicitor, taking HRA training as your PSC elective option or wishing to take HRA training to develop your advocacy skills, and want to sit the HRA assessment post-qualification.
Please note: Only qualified solicitors are eligible to sit the assessments.
The course comprises 24 hours+ of training, including:
- Pre-study: 6 hours of online, on-demand written and video content to be studied ahead of the live training to underpin the live online training sessions.
- Scheduled live training: 18 hours of live online written and practical training in advocacy skills, led by an experienced HRA practitioner in a safe environment, scheduled for 3 separate days over the course of 3 weeks.
Optional Extras:
Our HRA Written and Practical Mocks provide you with an opportunity to be assessed in a simulated exam environment that replicates the format of the HRA assessments. Please note: Only qualified solicitors are eligible to sit the assessments.
- Written Mock:
1 half-day with tutor feedback against the assessment criteria. Our Written Mock will provide you with an exam level simulated HRA exam
paper in preparation for your HRA written assessment.
Our Civil or Criminal Mock paper will be available to purchase online ahead of your HRA assessment, and you will submit your answers via BARBRI’s online learning platform. The Mock exam will consist of a 2½ hour examination focusing on evidence, ethics, advocacy issues, and equality and diversity. The Mock will include a scenario followed by a series of short-answer questions, as well as a critical review of documentation designed to replicate the format and standard of the HRA assessment.
Your submission will be marked by a HRA experienced assessor and feedback will be provided within 3 working days. It is therefore important to schedule this Mock ahead of your HRA assessment to ensure you receive the feedback in sufficient time to carry out any further revision ahead of your HRA assessment.
- Practical Mock:
1.5 hour mock assessment replicating the assessment format (we recommend a full day of preparation for the mock assessment).
Our Practical Mock will provide you with the opportunity to practice your Civil or Criminal practical advocacy skills in a simulated assessment format designed to replicate the HRA assessment.
We recommend you set aside a day of preparation to complete this work and prepare your advocacy ahead of your Mock assessment slot.
The assessment includes arguing an interim application and conducting a mini trial based on the details provided in a trial bundle, which will be sent in advance. You will be required to draft and submit a skeleton argument and a trial strategy plan in advance of the Mock assessment.
The Mock assessment will take 1.5 hours and will be conducted live with an experienced HRA assessor. You will be required to apply for, or defend, an interim application, deliver an opening speech, examine in chief a witness and cross-examine a further witness.
Following the Mock assessment, the assessor will provide oral feedback on your performance and share any suggestions for improvement ahead of your HRA assessment.
Written Training
Our written training programme is designed to prepare you to be assessed against the knowledge-based and document-based standards. Specifically, it covers:
- Evidence – hearsay, bad character, disclosure, experts etc.
- Dealing with vulnerable witnesses
- Ethics and diversity
- Code of Conduct issues
- Preparation and critique of written documentation such as indictments, particulars of claim etc.
- Practice-specific elements, for example ADR and Pre-action Protocols for civil and PCMHs and sentencing for criminal proceedings
Practical Training
Our practical training is extremely hands-on and allows you the opportunity to practise your advocacy skills in a safe environment and get detailed feedback from the trainer.
The programme covers:
- Trial analysis and planning, including formulating a trial strategy plan
- Preparing and conducting an interim application
- Preparing and delivering an opening speech
- Planning and carrying out an examination-in-chief
- Preparing for and conducting an effective cross-examination
- Knowing when and how to and re-examine
- Preparing and delivering a closing speech
Although there is no requirement to undertake training before attempting the assessment, in our experience, training greatly helps candidates make the transition from lower to Higher Court advocacy. In addition, the SRA’s standards are now more far-reaching and you could be assessed against any of them. We therefore strongly recommend that you undergo training to give yourself the best possible chance of passing the assessment on the first attempt.
Higher Rights of Audience Course (Civil or Criminal)
The course fee is the same for both the civil and criminal pathway and include written and practical training.
£999 (ex VAT)
Optional add-on: Written Mock
£200
Optional add-on: Practical Mock
£350
How is the Assessment Structured?
Here is the structure of the new assessment under the 2025 regulations. You will be able to choose the civil or criminal law route, depending on your chosen discipline or practice area. If you would like to cover both, you will have to take both assessments, one for each route.
Written Element:
The written examination focuses on evidence, ethics, advocacy issues, and equality and diversity, tailored to either civil or criminal law.
The exam includes a scenario, followed by a critical review of supplied documentation and a series of short-answer and multiple-choice questions, some of which may provide additional information to the scenario. You will have online access to certain permitted materials, as well as assessment documentation.
The written exam is online, 2½ hours long with an additional 30 minutes of reading time.
Practical Element
The practical assessment evaluates your advocacy skills and addresses advocacy skills not examined in the written assessment.
The assessment includes arguing an interim application and conducting a mini trial based on the details provided in a trial bundle, which will be sent in advance.
Interim Application
Candidates are required to apply for, or defend, an interim application. As part of this advocacy exercise, candidates must draft and submit a skeleton argument in advance of the assessment.
Mini Trial
Candidates will deliver an opening speech, examine in chief a witness and cross-examine a further witness. In preparation for the mini trial, candidates are required to draft and submit a trial strategy plan in advance of the assessment.
Click here for more details about the HRA Assessment, including dates, exam fees and how to book.