Your Best Practice Toolbox: Fundamental Bar Skills from the Experts
The Essentials Programme is a practical training series designed to give barristers easy access to the core skills required for everyday practice at the Bar. It provides a comprehensive best practice toolbox, covering the fundamentals of legal work.
Led by experts, the Essential programme delivers concise online webinars across key practice areas, including civil, criminal, and family law. It also focuses on essential Bar skills such as advocacy, ethics, and professional conduct.
The Essentials On Demand Webinars Upcoming Events
Each session runs for 45–60 minutes and is designed to be highly practical, addressing skills often overlooked in traditional training. Webinars are delivered live and recorded for on-demand CPD, so you can learn or refresh at a time that suits you.
Whether you’re a junior or intermediate barrister, new to a practice area, or an experienced practitioner seeking a refresher, these webinars offer clear, practical guidance to support your professional development.
On Demand The Essentials Webinars
This recorded webinar will focus on arbitration’s essential, foundational concepts. It is designed as a “how-to guide” for preparing and conducting an arbitration. The webinar will cover what you need to know about arbitrations and also what steps you need to take throughout the preparation for an appearance at an arbitration. It is practically focused.
Presenters: Dr Anna Kirk, Timothy Lindsay and Damian Chesterman (Chair)
Published: 27 May 2025
Pleadings | CPD 1 hr
This recorded webinar takes you through the essential, foundational concepts of how to draft pleadings. It covers the core rules on pleadings and also what steps you need to take throughout the preparation for drafting statements of claim, statements of defence and statements of reply. It is practically focused.
Presenters: Polly Pope and Kishen Kommu and Damian Chesterman (Chair)
Published: 4 June 2025
Cross Exmination Notes | CPD 1 hr
This recorded webinar focusses on preparing for and producing notes to guide an effective cross examination. It covers how to organise your notes and what you need to think about when preparing your cross-examination.
Presenters: Lady Deborah Chambers KC and Daisy Williams (Chair)
Published: 15 July 2025
Leading Evidence | CPD 1 hr
This recorded webinar provides insights into the essential, foundational concepts of Leading Evidence. It is designed to be a “how to” correctly prepare to lead your evidence and conduct it.
Presenters: Robin McCoubrey and Rachael Reed KC (Presenter and Chair)
Published: 7 August 2025