Barristers Training CourseNottingham Trent University
Train for the Bar. Learn Through Real Practice.
Develop the procedural knowledge, advocacy skills and professional judgement you need to progress towards pupillage and practice as a barrister.
The Barristers Training Course at Nottingham Law School is designed around realistic casework and practical professional training. You will work through civil and criminal briefs from initial instructions through to trial, developing the knowledge and skills expected of aspiring barristers.
Programme Key Facts
Postgraduate
Nottingham Trent University
1 Year
Full-Time
City Campus, Nottingham
September
Future Careers
Prepare for pupillage and professional practice.
Successful completion of the vocational component enables you to progress towards Call to the Bar and pupillage, subject to satisfying the requirements of your Inn of Court and the Bar Standards Board.
Throughout your training, Nottingham Law School provides specialist careers support designed around both pupillage and alternative legal careers.
Possible Career Directions
Barrister, UK
Advocate & Solicitor, Malaysia
Civil Practice
Commercial Practice
Family Practice
Advocacy & Dispute Resolution
Why This Programme Matters
The Reality
- Modern Bar practice requires much more than academic legal knowledge.
- Barristers must be able to analyse complex facts, apply procedure, advise clients, draft legal documents and advocate persuasively.
- Professional ethics and sound judgement are central to every area of practice.
- Securing pupillage is highly competitive, making practical training, professional exposure and strong employability support particularly important.
Nottingham’s BTC is designed to develop both the procedural knowledge and practical skills required for the early stages of professional Bar practice.
The Professional Practice Advantage
Rather than studying professional skills in isolation, students work through seven realistic briefs—four criminal and three civil—from commencement through to trial.
This gives you experience of managing cases and responding to instructions to Counsel in a way that reflects the realities of Bar practice.
Course Modules
- Criminal Litigation and Evidence
- Civil Litigation and Evidence
- Civil Advocacy
- Examination-in-Chief
- Cross-Examination
- Opinion Writing
- Drafting
- Conference Skills
- Professional Ethics
- Legal Research
The programme develops your ability to prepare and present legal arguments, examine and cross-examine witnesses, advise clients in conference, draft statements of case and other legal documents, produce written opinions, conduct legal research, and apply professional and ethical standards.
The Bar Training Experience
Learn through cases that replicate real practice.
Handle Cases from Start to Finish
Work on civil and criminal briefs designed to replicate instructions received by practising barristers.
Experience Full Trials
Participate in full civil and criminal trial hearings, bringing together litigation knowledge, advocacy and case preparation.
Train in Mock Courtrooms
Develop your advocacy in Nottingham Law School’s state-of-the-art mock courtrooms.
Receive Face-to-Face Feedback
Receive direct feedback on assessable skills to improve your advocacy, drafting, conferencing and written work.
Small-Group Learning
Use weekly small-group workshops to build discussion, collaboration and confidence with personalised tutor support.
Real Legal Experience
Work on real cases with real clients.
One of Nottingham Law School’s major differentiators is NLS Legal, its fully regulated, multi-award-winning on-campus teaching law firm.
Hundreds of students volunteer through NLS Legal each year, gaining practical experience while helping provide access to justice in the local community.
Pro Bono Opportunities
Students can gain additional legal experience through NLS Legal, pro bono projects, legal work experience, Citizens Advice, professional legal placements and other volunteering opportunities.
Support Through Court
Nottingham Law School is the sole host university for Support Through Court’s National Helpline and National Online Service. Students can volunteer to help people navigating the court system without legal representation, developing client communication, empathy and legal-system awareness.
Learn from Experienced Lawyers
Training shaped by professional practice.
Nottingham Law School’s BTC teaching is delivered by experienced lawyers, supported by visiting lecturers and strong connections with practising barristers and judges.
This practitioner-led approach helps ensure that professional skills are taught within the context of contemporary legal practice.
Centre for Advocacy
Nottingham Law School is home to what it describes as the first Centre for Advocacy in the UK, reflecting its long-standing expertise in advocacy education. It also has a Centre for Mediation and Dispute Resolution, opened in 2016.
Choose Your Qualification Route
PGDip Barristers Training Course
The PGDip BTC provides the compulsory vocational training required for the Bar in a shorter, focused format. It is designed for students who want to complete the professional Bar training component efficiently without undertaking the additional Master’s element.
LLM Barristers Training Course
The LLM BTC combines the vocational Bar curriculum with an additional Master’s-level component. Students complete additional work incorporating areas such as vulnerable witnesses, expert evidence, alternative dispute resolution, mediation, negotiation and further trial advocacy, followed by either a Dissertation or a Critical Reflective Report linked to practical legal work experience.
An Internationally Recognised Master’s
Nottingham Law School states that it was the first legal education provider in the UK to offer the opportunity to gain an LLM award as an integral part of its vocational Bar course. The LLM route is also eligible for the UK Postgraduate Masters Loan, subject to eligibility requirements.
Industry Partners
Connect with the legal profession from day one.
Your legal education at BAC goes beyond the classroom. Through our strong connections with leading law firms, professional bodies and the Inns of Court Malaysia, you gain valuable exposure to the people, institutions and networks shaping the legal profession.
These partnerships help you better understand legal practice, explore different career pathways, and develop the professional confidence to take your next step.
Industry Partners
- Thomas Philip Advocates & Solicitors
- Lavania & Balan Chambers
- Messrs. Jamie Wong
- Alvin John & Partners
- Shearn Delamore & Co.
- Richard Wee Chambers
- Daljit Singh Partnership
- Chooi & Company
- Cheang & Ariff
- Messrs. Farez Jinnah
- Lee Hishammuddin Allen & Gledhill
- Zul Rafique & Partners
- Izral Partnership
- Messrs. Kuek, Ong & Associates
- Mah-Kamariyah & Philip Koh
- Haeme Lew Advocates & Solicitors
- Halim Hong & Quek
- Vilasiny Gan & Co
- Tan Norizan & Associates
- Belden Advocates & Solicitors
- C.Y. Ng & Barry
- Low & Partners
- Malek, Gan & Partners
- Zaid Ibrahim & Co.
- Rosli Dahlan Saravana Partnership
- Raj, Ong & Yudistra
- Raja, Darryl & Loh
- MahWengKwai & Associates
- Rahmat Lim & Partners
- WongPartnership LLP
- Baskaran Law
- Shook Lin & Bok
- Lee & Poh Partnership
- Jeeva Partnership
- Arief & Iskandar
- K.H. Ong & Ng
- Azmi & Associates
- Skrine
- Adnan Sundra & Low
- LAW Partnership
- Gan Partnership
- Christopher & Lee Ong
- Wong & Partners
- Albar & Partners
- Othman Hashim & Co
- Kadir Andri & Partners
- Jeff Leong, Poon & Wong
- Wong Boon & Toh
- Teng, Sheng & Fatima
- Abdullah Chan & Co
- Teh & Partners
- Nazmi Zaini Chambers
- Inns of Court Malaysia
- Great Eastern Sdn Bhd
- SLB
- UN Global Compact Network Malaysia, Brunei & Cambodia
- Asian Institute of Alternative Dispute Resolution
- The Malaysian Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (MAICSA)
- The Malaysian Institute of Arbitrators (MIArb)
- TrialSim
- LexisNexis
- WestLaw
- Coursera for Campus
- CLJ Law
Earn Microcredentials from the World's Best Universities & Global Tech Giants
- IBM Applied AI Professional Certificate
- Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate
- AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials
Career Outcomes
Develop professional skills for the Bar and wider legal practice.
The BTC develops procedural knowledge, advocacy, client communication, drafting, research and ethical judgement for progression towards pupillage and professional legal careers.
Roles in Focus
- Barrister, UKProgress towards Call to the Bar, pupillage and professional practice.
- Advocate & Solicitor, MalaysiaPursue professional legal practice in Malaysia, subject to applicable qualification requirements.
- Civil PracticeApply litigation, advocacy and case-management skills to civil matters.
- Commercial PracticeDevelop the professional skills needed for commercial disputes and advisory work.
- Family PracticeUse client-care, conferencing and advocacy skills in family-law settings.
- Advocacy & Dispute ResolutionApply persuasive oral and written advocacy to dispute resolution.
Why Nottingham Law School?
More Than 60 Years of Legal Education
Study at one of the UK’s largest and most established law schools, with more than six decades of experience in legal education.
Seven Realistic Case Briefs
Work through four criminal and three civil briefs from commencement to trial through realistic case management.
Real Clients. Real Cases.
Gain practical legal experience through NLS Legal, Nottingham Law School’s fully regulated, multi-award-winning teaching law firm.
Advocacy Expertise
Train at a Law School that is home to the first Centre for Advocacy in the UK and has significant expertise in dispute resolution.
State-of-the-Art Mock Courtrooms
Build your confidence through realistic advocacy training in specialist mock courtroom facilities.
Direct Links with Chambers
Take part in Chambers-sponsored advocacy and mooting competitions and meet practitioners at professional events and the Law Fair.
Specialist Pupillage Support
Receive personalised careers guidance, application support and mock interviews throughout the pupillage recruitment process.
BSB Authorised Training
Nottingham Law School is authorised by the Bar Standards Board to deliver the vocational component of Bar training.
Entry Requirements
To be confirmed by BAC.
Tuition Fees
To be confirmed by BAC.
Speak to a Future Advisor
Ready to take the next step towards becoming a barrister?
Find out more about Nottingham Trent University’s Barristers Training Course, the PGDip and LLM routes, entry requirements, fees and application process.