Higher Rights

Over the last 4 months I have been busy working towards achieving my Higher Rights qualification, that as a solicitor will give me the rights of audience in the High Court and Court of Appeal. It is a hard process that involved a practical exam and a 2 ½ hour written exam. The practical exam was nerve racking and really put my advocacy to the test, it involved cross examining an actor posing as a witness in a hypothetical case, which was not as easy as it sounds. However, I am glad to say that my hard work has paid off and I have achieved this additional qualification that will not only benefit me but also the firm and hopefully inspire others to do the same. I have discovered that advocacy is ever evolving, being in Court is where I love to be and is the best place to continue learning by watching other advocates in action doing what they do best. There has been some recent controversy about the standards of advocacy, particularly with solicitor advocates, however, from my own experience this process was far from easy and required hard work and dedication to complete. For myself I know the process won’t stop there, as I want to further develop my advocacy skills to be the best that I can be. So if you are solicitor and considering doing your higher rights, then it is certainly something I would recommend and is a worthwhile achievement.