The course is broken down into four sections over 5 days, which is normally face to face but was done over Zoom during the pandemic. There is one multiple choice exam, one submission and one mock cross examination which all need to be passed to gain the certificate.
Four sections are as follows:
- Report Writing – this day was very informative for any starting out in report writing as it provides you with all the necessary information to make your report legal and satisfactory to the legal team and the court. I found this day very helpful as I have never written a report and it can be daunting if you are unprepared.
- Witness Familiarisation – very helpful for understanding the court and courtroom setting should you ever be required to be called to provide evidence.
- Cross Examination – learning skills on how to prepare for cross examination in a courtroom setting. This would be a very high pressure situation and was really useful in learning the skills on how a barrister may approach this part of a trial to gain an advantage for their side.
- Civil Law – two days on the law in civil cases (which includes medical legal work) to get an understanding of the whole trial and the legal system.
Overall I would say this course was excellent and the Report Writing section in particular is essential for anyone wishing to start providing reports that will be of a high standard to the court.