The SRA Risk Outlook 2018 highlights the risks and harm that can be caused by poor standards of service in criminal practice particularly as many people in the criminal justice system are vulnerable. It also highlights the potential wider impact on confidence in the profession if there are issues surrounding a solicitor’s competence in this area.
The SRA, jointly with the Bar Standards Board, commissioned independent research with judges who identified areas where they believe there is room for improvement.
This course will highlight those areas where it is felt there is such room for improvement by lawyers and their firms and consider steps that can be taken to continue improving the service to clients.
The course trainer, Roy Morgan, is an experienced solicitor advocate who will provide insight and expertise.
Audience
This course is applicable to all solicitors conducting advocacy in the criminal courts at any level. Each individual is responsible for complying with the requirements of the SRA Handbook and the managers of each firm are responsible for the overall compliance of their individual firms.
Compliance Officers for Legal Practice (COLPs) will find these courses of particular interest as their role is to champion compliance and good risk management within their firms. These courses may be integrated within existing processes to ensure that individuals are given sufficient information to comply with the SRA Handbook.
Live Online – 17 June 2020 (12pm – 1pm)
Live Online – 3 September 2020 (12pm – 1pm)
- Session specifically focuses on Advocacy standards as one SRA risk factor
- Gain an understanding of how better case strategy planning can benefit advocates
- Short, interactive, cost effective session which can be accessed from any location.
- Delivered live by practitioners with expertise in the field of advocacy
- Designed to cover key SRA competencies
- Trial strategy planning
- More focused cross-examination
- How to better engage with case management
- Awareness of vulnerable witness requirements.
This will be delivered via our highly interactive Live Online system, be 1 hour in length and can be accessed from any location. Live Online sessions are delivered real time with an experienced trainer delivering throughout the session enabling delegates to ask questions and engage with the learning content. No prior technical expertise is required to sign up to these sessions.
| A1 | Act honestly and with integrity, in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements and the SRA Handbook and Code of Conduct |
| A2 | Maintain the level of competence and legal knowledge needed to practise effectively, taking into account changes in their role and/or practice context and developments in the law |
| A3 | Work within the limits of their competence and the supervision which they need |
| A4 | Draw on a sufficient detailed knowledge and understanding of their field(s) of work and role in order to practise effectively |
| A5 | Apply understanding, critical thinking and analysis to solve problems |
| B1 | Obtain relevant facts |
| B2 | Undertake legal research |
| B3 | Develop and advise on relevant options, strategies and solutions |
| B5 | Undertake effective spoken and written advocacy |
| B6 | Negotiate solutions to clients’ issues |
| B7 | Plan, manage and progress legal cases and transactions |
| D1 | Initiate, plan, prioritise and manage work activities and projects to ensure that they are completed efficiently, on time and to an appropriate standard, both in relation to their own work and work that they lead or supervise |
- There is no preparation for this course although we do ask that you come prepared to engage with the subject and be willing to get involved with the discussions this programme raises.
- Following each session we suggest you complete a personal development plan which will help you identify key action points together with a framework for ensuring that you achieve them.
- By the end of this course, you will:
- Develop an understanding of the concerns raised by the SRA
- Understand why it is important both as a matter of law and successful practice to address these concerns
- Identify areas for improvement and better understanding; and
- Develop strategies for improvement within your own practice.