The Inn offers advocacy training to students, pupils and new practitioners.

Students have the options of;

• attending residential advocacy weekends
• receiving advocacy training as "guinea pigs" on the Training the Trainers programmes
• acting as witnesses in the New Practitioners Programme

Pupils are required by the Bar Council to attend a minimum of 12 hours of practical advocacy teaching and 6 hours of practice management (formerly known as Advice to Counsel). The Middle Temple courses combine both these areas in a single course. Dates on offer are:

• 7-18 November 2011
• 16-27 January 2012
• 13-24 February 2012
• 19-30 March 2012
• 2-13 July 2012

These are full-time courses, running from Monday to Friday during two consecutive weeks. They will offer advocacy training workshops designed to meet situations in which young barristers may find themselves. Lectures will cover themes ranging from general advocacy to practical advice from specialists and experts, and the workshops will be led by experienced practitioners. Court visits provide an opportunity for exercises in both civil applications and criminal work before Judges. There are two pared down courses covering the mininum requirement for those who are unable to attend our full programme. The dates for those are 5-7 March and 18-20 June 2012.

Courses are open to all members of the Middle Temple. There is no fee. Pupils on Circuit may find it more convenient to attend the Circuit's course, but if they wish, we would be pleased to accommodate them on the Middle Temple course.

New Practitioners need to attend a total of 42 hours of training by the end of the first three years of independent practice. 9 of these have to be advocacy, 3 ethics. The Inn's New Practitioners Programme offers courses both in Advocacy, with a choice between of programme for those at the Self-Employed Bar (civil, criminal or family law) or the Employed Bar, and in Ethics.