Suspended last summer in ‘interests of students’
The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has given the go-ahead for the University of Hertfordshire to resume offering the bar course.
The uni has been permitted to begin delivering the course from September 2024, following the bar regulator putting a temporary halt to delivery in August last year.
At the time, the regulator said the move had been made in the “interests of students”, after the university agreed to “put a plan in place to strengthen a number of aspects of its course delivery”.
But in an statement today the BSB said it has worked with the university over the last year to ensure the necessary improvements are being implemented and “we recognise the considerable work put in by the University to ensure that appropriate standards are met”.
The uni can recommence course delivery from September.
“We will continue to closely monitor course delivery to ensure that the university is complying with the mandatory requirements in the Authorisation Framework and that students are properly supported,” the statement continued.
Professor Penny Carey, dean of Hertfordshire Law School, said:
“We have been working extremely hard and very closely with the Bar Standards Board (BSB) to respond to their recommendations and ensure all necessary requirements are met. We are delighted these efforts have paid off, and look forward to reintroducing BSB accredited, vocational Bar training for our students from this September.”
She continued: “Our focus firmly remains on increasing much-needed accessibility and diversity within the legal profession, and we look forward to continuing to work with BSB to ensure the long-term, successful delivery of this objective.”
Among the measures taken by the law school are:
– A new course design with additional delivery time to prepare students for the centralised assessments.
– An extra focus on skills teaching, including the flagship skill of advocacy, with over 40 hours of classes on advocacy and conference skills.
– Intensive revision and dedicated pastoral support for students resitting assessments.
– Establishing a LawTalk Student Partnership Programme to support the academic and professional development of students waiting to start the programme with peer support continuing throughout the training year.
– Enhanced personal tutoring including a bespoke professional development programme.