Quality Assurance for Advocates Pilot

On this page:

QAA research pilot
Giving credit for Prior Achievement
Publication of Cardiff Law School's Pilot Research

QAA Research Pilot

A research pilot to test possible assessment methods for quality assuring advocates was run between February and September 2009. Solicitors, barristers, QCs, CPS in-house advocates and Fellows of the Institute of Legal Executives, working at different levels across all areas of criminal work, went through the process.

Cardiff Law School was awarded the contract for the research, design, operation and evaluation of the assessment process for the QAA research pilot. Feedback from the profession led to a number of different assessment methods being tested in the pilot.

These included:

multiple choice tests
portfolio examination
simulated advocacy assessments
judicial evaluation.

Those taking part in the pilot were tested against some or all of the possible methods depending on level.

Giving Credit for Prior Achievement

The project has remained alert to the professions concerns, including those on cost and potential accreditation fatigue. The development of QAA involved mapping all existing accreditation schemes that advocates are subjected to, to maximise potential to appropriately exempt and passport based on prior achievement into an operational QAA scheme. Passporting and exemption was tested and evaluated as part of Cardiff Law School's work.

Publication of Cardiff Law School's Research Pilot

Although the Joint Advocacy Group are now leading development of an operational scheme, the findings of the pilot research and evaluation have been published with the QAA Discussion Paper.

The aim is to set out the key conclusions and recommendations of the QAA research in order to seek feedback on these from as wide a range of bodies and individuals as possible.

That analysis will form part of the body of research and evidence to be considered by the JAG in the development of an operational scheme. It will also support the LSC in determining its more detailed minimum requirements for purchasing criminal defence advocacy services at a later date.

>back to top

Last updated: 15 February 2010