The Communication Skills Programme
Since inception 2018 the Communication Skills Programme at the Law School has gone from strength to strength. This programme helps students to understand the skills beyond the academic texts and develop their readiness to move into the world of employment after graduation. The focus is on skills relevant to the legal industry, including:
Trial Advocacy
Conducting a trial in criminal or civil cases, including the skills of opening statements, examination in chief, cross-examination, submission advocacy, pleas in mitigation, and closing arguments.
Appellate Advocacy
Preparing and delivering submissions to appellate courts (either Court of Appeal or Supreme Court) on points of law.
Negotiations
Representing your client in a negotiation with another student or team of students representing the other side of the negotiation.
Client Interviewing
Meeting a client for the first time, with limited information, developing a professional relationship, gathering information from the client and providing them with legal advice and potential paths that they can follow to take action.
Mediation
Being an independent third party in a conflict, and helping the parties to resolve the situation by listening, drawing out relevant information and encouraging them to find resolutions.
Crucially, they all involve the skill of personal interaction, and students who engage with this programme typically find that they are better prepared to speak to prospective employers and hit the ground running after the leave University. Students can attend talks and workshops that focus on these skills and there are competitive opportunities for students to gain experiences that are realistic and allow them to hit the ground running when they move into practice beyond University.
In 24/25, for the first time, we elevated the programme by involving the local legal community. Five solicitor firms and three barrister chambers supported the programme financially and by giving their time, and the results were clear with three national or international title wins across the year and a huge boost in overall performance and results- and the season isn’t even finished yet! Every year the students get stronger and more workplace ready because of the skills that they learn from taking part in these events and strengthening their connections to real life situations outside of the classroom.