Higher Rights of Audience (HRA), Bar Transfer and Additional Bar Course Coaching
Personalised Coaching and Professional Lectures to Assist in Preparation for Exams Administered by Any Institution
Disclaimer: We are not a bar course training provider. Our services are designed to offer supplementary training and support to students already enrolled on bar courses. We are not the exam provider for the Bar Transfer Test or Higher Rights of Audience. However, we do provide training for these exams.
5 steps to become a solicitor-advocate in England and Wales
Tailored HRA Exam Preparation: Custom Courses and Materials from Steve Johnson.
Be a solicitor in
England and Wales
Select the HRA exam and
your exam provider
Review the laws of evidence and
professional ethics
Train to conduct HRA advocacy, examination-in-chief and cross-examination
Smash the HRA exam!
5 steps to become a barrister in England and Wales
Additional Coaching and Ideal Revision in Witness Handling for Bar Students – Specialised Training by Steve Johnson.
Have 2 to 3 A-levels, or equivalent
Obtain a degree or diploma
in law with minimum of a 2:2
Complete a postgraduate
bar training course
Pass the bar exams
Complete a year of practical training called pupillage
5 steps transferring to the Bar to practise as a barrister in England and Wales
Bespoke Support from Steve Johnson for Your Remaining Academic and Vocational Assessments.
Be a solicitor, qualified lawyer
from another jurisdiction,
or a legal academic
Prepare and submit
an application for exemption,
along with supporting evidence
Be exempt from some or
all of the training requirements
for the Bar
Complete the missing
academic and/or
vocational bar transfer assessments
Complete a period of pupillage
and successfully pass
the Professional Ethics assessment
Why choose the Academy of Smart Lawyers?
You will receive first class training from Steve Johnson who wrote and designed the criminal advocacy course for the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA) and previously served as as the Head of Advocacy on the Bar Professional Training Course at Manchester Metropolitan University.
BESPOKE
ADVOCACY TRAINING
Steve has 25 years hands on experience of trial advocacy and has assembled for you a team of highly experienced barristers and solicitor- advocates to give you the best possible chance of passing your bar exams. The course is also ideal for new barristers wishing to hone their advocacy skills for professional service and career advancement.
You will receive 1-to-1 training from top advocates, based on comprehensive case studies specifically tailored to the relevant exam.
FOCUSED HIGH QUALITY
TRAINING MATERIALS
Steve has considerable experience as an advocacy assessor for the Bar Course and Higher Rights Advocacy Course. He has spent 15 years as a Senior Lecturer and Tutor-Coach and is a subject matter expert in Witness Handling and Submissions Advocacy, Conference and Client Interviewing Skills with an extensive knowledge of the Law of Evidence. He has trained and/or assessed for Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), City University of London, BPP and more recently for the Inns of Court for the ICCA.
Using his profound knowledge of the bar exams and his subject matter expertise, he has devised a collection of tailored materials including lectures, training notes and case studies to ensure your preparation for the advocacy assessments is comprehensive.
FLEXIBILITY
We provide additional training and preparatory materials for those concerned about their forthcoming bar course assessments, regardless of the institution.
You can choose your study days and access materials on the SUPERexam training platform for lawyers. There is no need to subscribe to a package; you may fill any gaps in your preparation by selecting exactly what you need to succeed in the exams.
Who is Steve Johnson and why it matters?
Steve is a Barrister, who no longer practices, having spent 25 years in the higher courts of England and Wales, as a trial advocate. He is an accredited advocacy trainer for the Northern Circuit. He has designed academic modules in Criminal Litigation and Evidence for Bar courses and served as a lecturer, tutor and trainer for both academic and skills based courses. He specialises in conference skills and trial and submissions advocacy with a particular focus on witness handling.
Formerly the Head of Advocacy for the BPTC at Manchester Metropolitan University from 2008 to 2018, a BPTC lecturer at City, University of London, and also a BPTC course designer for the Inns of Court College of Advocacy. Steve was a significant contributor both to the questions for the centralised Bar exam and in their standard setting process.
He has developed and presented expert forensic witness courses and is a highly experienced presenter, coach and designer of witness familiarisation training. In 2020 he played a significant role in the design and development of a witness training course for fast track detectives in the Metropolitan Police.
Additionally, he has been a visiting lecturer at Hong Kong University in the Law of Evidence, a guest lecturer at the University of Marrakech, an external advocacy assessor for the CPS, and a Higher Court Rights assessor for the SRA.
Skills lectures
Preparation for oral and written exams:
Highly practical and demonstrative approach
witness handling
successful examination in chief
coming soon
Successful Cross-Examination
£75
Advocacy submissions
coming soon
pleas of mitigation (Criminal)
interim applications (Civil)
trial speech, submission & closing
Legal Drafting
coming soon
skeleton argument
indictment (Criminal)
defence statement (Criminal)
statements of case (Civil)
Opinion Writing
coming soon
Legal research
coming soon
Conference Skills
coming soon
1-to-1 & group mock skills exams
Preparation for vocational exams:
Learning by doing – the most effective approach
witness handling
Examination In Chief: Video Call
coming soon
Cross-Examination: Video call
coming soon
Advocacy submissions
Civil Litigation: Video Call
coming soon
Criminal Litigation: Video Call
coming soon
Conference Skills
coming soon
WRITTEN
Legal Drafting
coming soon
Opinion Writing
coming soon
Your written submissions will be assessed
by a tutor & marked with written feedback
witness handling
coming soon
Examination In Chief: Video call
Cross-Examination: Video Call
Advocacy submissions
coming soon
Civil Litigation: Video Call
Criminal Litigation: Video Call
Conference Skills
coming soon
Package
Bar course prep that works, with those who know, for results that matter.
| Lectures Civil£550coming soon | Lectures Criminal£600coming soon | Bar Skills Additional Training£1,100coming soon | HRA Civil£1,250coming soon | HRA Criminal£1,300coming soon | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Features | |||||
| Successful examination in chief Skills lectures |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Successful cross examination Skills lectures |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Trial speech, submission & closing Skills lectures |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Interim applications (Civil) Skills lectures |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Pleas of mitigation (Criminal) Skills lectures |
✓ | ✓ | |||
| Indictment (Criminal) Skills lectures (drafting) |
✓ | ✓ | |||
| Skeleton argument Skills lectures (drafting) |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Defence statement Skills lectures (drafting) |
✓ | ✓ | |||
| Statements of case (Civil) Skills lectures (drafting) |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Legal research Skills lectures |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Conference skills Skills lectures |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Opinion writing Skills lectures |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Ethics, equality & diversity Law lectures |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Evidence & sentencing (Criminal) Law lectures |
✓ | ||||
| Litigation & evidence (Civil) Law lectures |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Witness handling Group mock exams |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Witness handling 1-to-1 mock exams |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Advocacy submissions Group mock exams |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Advocacy submissions 1-to-1 mock exams |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Conference skills Group mock exams |
✓ | ||||
| Legal drafting 1-to-1 mock exams |
✓ | ||||
| Opinion writing 1-to-1 mock exams |
✓ |
FAQs
Do you have any questions? We are here to help.
What is Higher Rights of Audience (HRA)?
Higher Rights of Audience (HRA) refer to the rights granted to qualified solicitors, barristers, and certain other legal professionals to represent clients in higher courts, including the Crown Court and the Court of Appeal. These rights enable practitioners to advocate on behalf of clients in more complex legal matters, making them essential for those who wish to engage in advocacy and litigation at a higher level. Obtaining HRA demonstrates a solicitor’s competence and readiness to handle serious criminal and civil cases.
What qualifications do I need to sit for the HRA exams?
To be eligible for the HRA exams, you generally need to hold a qualifying law degree or an equivalent qualification. Additionally, you must be a qualified solicitor.
Who is the assessment provider for the HRA?
The assessment for Higher Rights of Audience (HRA) is conducted by several approved providers. These include:
Are you a Bar course training provider?
We are not a bar course training provider. Our services are designed to offer supplementary training and support to students already enrolled on bar courses.
How does the difficulty of the HRA compare to the SQE2?
Many candidates find the HRA to be comparable in difficulty to the SQE2, as both require a deep understanding of legal principles and practical application. However, the HRA places a stronger emphasis on advocacy skills and courtroom performance, making it unique in its approach.
Do you offer 1-to-1 training for the HRA and other Bar exams?
Yes, we offer one-to-one training for the HRA and additional training for other Bar Course exams. Our training is led by Steve Johnson, a non-practising barrister of England and Wales with 25 years of courtroom experience.
