The Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC)

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The BPTC is a compulsory postgraduate course pursued by those who wish to practice as a barrister in England and Wales; done either after your law degree or the conversion course (CPE/GDL), if you are a non-law graduate

 

Course Content

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The main skills taught on the Bar Professional Training Course are:

• Case Work Skills

• Legal Research

• General written skills

• Opinion-writing (that is, giving written advice)

• Interpersonal Skills

• Conference Skills (interviewing clients)

• Negotiation

• Advocacy (court or tribunal appearances)

 

The main areas of knowledge taught on the Bar Professional Training Course are:

• Civil Litigation & remedies

• Criminal Litigation & sentencing

• Evidence

• Professional Ethics

• Two optional subjects, selected from a choice of at least six.

 

Only nine institutions in the UK are validated to run the BPTC:

• BPP Law School, London and Leeds

• The University of Law, London, Leeds and Birmingham

• City University (The Inns of Court School of Law), London

• University of Northumbria, Newcastle

• Nottingham Law School, Nottingham ​

• University of West of England, Bristol

• Cardiff Law School, Cardiff

• Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester

• Kaplan Law School, London