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What is the Bar Council Aptitude Test?
The Bar Council Aptitude Test is the transfer test for solicitors and for qualified lawyers from other jurisdictions who wish to qualify to practise at the Bar of England and Wales. It is the Bar equivalent of the Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test.
Who does the Aptitude Test apply to?
- European Union lawyers
- Solicitors admitted in England and Wales or Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland barristers
- Scottish advocates
- Hong Kong barristers
- Practitioners in other jurisdictions
Requirements for transfer to the Bar
The requirements for transfer to the Bar of England and Wales for qualified lawyers are:
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To seek the approval of the Joint Regulations Committee of the Bar Council to practise at the Bar of England and Wales.
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To join one of the Inns of Court.
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To pass all parts of the Aptitude Test specified by the Joint Regulations Committee at the same sitting.
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To undertake pupillage as specified by the Joint Regulations Committee.
Therefore, if you wish to transfer to the Bar, you must first get approval from the General Council of the Bar, who will usually require you to take the Aptitude Test, or certain sections thereof. The test is run by BPP on behalf of the Bar Council. When you have approval from the Bar Council to take the Aptitude test, you must apply to BPP to take the test. BPP organises, sets and marks the test and also runs the preliminary advocacy training course in preparation for the test.
Your first step should be to apply to practise at the Bar of England and Wales. You should contact;
Ms J Dixon,
Secretary of the Joint Regulations Committee,
General Council of the Bar,
289-293 High Holborn
London WC1V 7HZ
Tel No: 0207 242 0082.
Structure of the Aptitude Test
There are five sections:
- Section 1a: 3 hour written exam in Contract and Tort. Section 1b: 3 hour written exam in Land Law and Trusts.
- Section 2: 3 hour written exam in Criminal law, Constitutional & Administrative Law and English Legal System.
- Section 3: 3 hour written exam in Evidence and Criminal & Civil Procedure.
- Advocacy test, on both submissions and witness handling.
- Oral test on the rules of Professional Conduct.
You may not have to take all sections. The Bar Council will decide which sections you have to take. Solicitors admitted in England and Wales or Northern Ireland are usually only required to take sections 4 and 5, but this is a matter for the Bar Council to decide.
Dates of the Test
The test is held over one week in April and September each year.
Sections 4 and 5 are usually held on one day, on a Sunday.
The dates are issued in January each year.
Preparation for the Test
Candidates must prepare for sections 1, 2, 3 and 5 by private study. However, the Aptitude Test Course Director at BPP, Jonathan Bacon, is available to give general academic guidance and support. He can also provide you with past papers.
Please see his contact details in the contacts section below.
BPP provides a compulsory short training course in advocacy in advance of the section 4 advocacy test. This training course is compulsory for those taking section 4.
How do I apply?
Once you have approval from the Bar Council Joint Regulations Committee to take the test, an application form to take the test can be downloaded from the 'request a brochure section'.
The application form must be returned to BPP together with a copy of the certificate from the Bar Council requiring you to take the test and the fees.
What are the course fees?
The fee for candidates required to take the whole test is currently £1500.
For candidates required to take some sections of the test only, the fees for individual sections are currently as follows:
- Section 1a: £200
- Section 1b: £200
- Section 2a: £150
- Section 2b: £150
- Section 3: £250
- Section 4: £300
- Compulsory training course for section 4: £650
- Section 5: £250
These fees are subject to change.
Further information and contacts
For further information, please contact Jonathan Bacon, the Director of the test at BPP, on 020 7430-5043 email: jonathanbacon@bpp.com or Emma Hammond, the Registrar at BPP, on 020 7430-7069 email: emmahammond@bpp.com.
At the Bar Council, please contact Ms J Dixon or Ms Ellen Harewood for further information on transfer to the Bar at:
General Council of the Bar
289-293 High Holborn
London WC1V 7HZ
www.barcouncil.org.uk
In addition, an Aptitude Test handbook can be downloaded from the 'request a brochure section' or requested from the above contacts at the Bar Council.
Further, you are advised to read the latest edition of the Consolidated Regulations of the Four Inns of Court, which is available from the General Council of the Bar. In particular, you are referred to Schedule 13A.
