{"id":72032,"date":"2025-02-06T19:14:06","date_gmt":"2025-02-06T19:14:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/peraltafinancing.com\/business\/legal\/inns-of-court-college-of-advocacy-students-face-lottery-over-bar-course-progression-amid-record-enrolments\/"},"modified":"2025-02-06T19:14:06","modified_gmt":"2025-02-06T19:14:06","slug":"inns-of-court-college-of-advocacy-students-face-lottery-over-bar-course-progression-amid-record-enrolments","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=72032","title":{"rendered":"Inns of Court College of Advocacy students face ‘lottery’ over bar course progression amid record enrolments"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Bar students at the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA) face uncertainty over their course progression next month, as the college has announced it will need to defer some places due to an oversubscription of students.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Legal Cheek<\/em> can reveal that the ICCA informed students yesterday that demand for enrolment in part two of its bar course remains \u201cabove our capacity\u201d, meaning some aspiring barrister will need to delay their start dates, either voluntarily or involuntarily.<\/p>\n

The ICCA course is divided into two elements, part one and part two. The first comprises the Bar Standards Board\u2019s civil and criminal litigation exams, and is studied remotely with students setting their own pace and schedule, choosing when they wish to sit the exams. Once both exams have been passed, budding barristers commence part two, completing the remaining required assessments in a five month in-person block. <\/p>\n

However, this flexibility also brings uncertainty. With a \u201crecord number of students\u201d eligible and hoping to begin part two of the course in early March, the ICCA will defer some start dates until at least September.<\/p>\n

Students who are deferred will receive a one-third reduction in their next set of fees, along with \u201ctailored support from the ICCA\u201d, according to an email sent to students. This support includes career meetings, marshalling opportunities, mini-pupillages, work experience, and mentoring by barristers in their preferred area of practice.<\/p>\n

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It now falls to students to advocate their own cases for why they should be part of the March cohort. The bar course provider has asked students to provide \u201ccompelling reason(s)\u201d as to why they should not be deferred. Options include: a pupillage commencing in September 2025, holding an Inns of Court scholarship, accommodation arrangements that have already been signed, and leaving employment to commence the course. <\/p>\n

One frustrated bar student told Legal Cheek<\/em> that the ICCA is effectively deferring some students \u201cby force\u201d and that the oversubscription will leave them \u201cstranded\u201d midway through their studies.<\/p>\n

The email seeks to reassure students, stating that \u201cevery request for enrolment in this cohort will be carefully examined by a panel, on a case-by-case basis. The aim is to accommodate as many students as possible, while ensuring the \u201cextremely high\u201d teaching standards that are integral to the ICCA are maintained.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anyone who does not submit reasons, or who is not prioritised for a place by the panel, will be entered into a \u201clottery\u201d to secure any remaining places. Students will find out whether they have been given a spot or not next Thursday, only two and half weeks before the course is due to begin. <\/p>\n

In a further email sent this morning and seen by Legal Cheek<\/em>, dean of the college, Lynda Gibbs KC, congratulated students on the \u201cstellar set of results\u201d, before adding that it never \u201cwanted to be in a position of having to impede a student\u2019s progression\u201d. <\/p>\n

\u201cWe have explored every avenue to extend the number of places on Part Two for March and we are acutely aware of the disappointment and anxiety that the recent communications have caused,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlease be assured that we will do all we can to support you all as comprehensively as we can over the coming weeks and months,\u201d Gibbs KC added.<\/p>\n

The ICCA has been approached for comment.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n