CILEX Advocacy Skills Course (Civil Litigation – Open Court Rights) 

This is a special programme designed to develop knowledge and understanding of all elements of advocacy practices such as technical legal skills, legal submissions, drafting, court advocacy and audit accountability, with a focus on legal ethics – preparing you to step confidently into court-focused legal work. 

What you will gain from successfully completing the course

Upon successful completion of the CILEX Advocacy Skills Course, as a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator and Advocate (Civil Litigation), who has been authorised by CILEx Regulation to undertake litigation and advocacy (Civil Litigation) practice rights, you will be able to undertake the following activities:

  • To exercise rights of audience in Judge’s room hearings in the County Court and Higher Court in all Civil Litigation, excluding family proceedings.
  • To appear in open Court in the County Court on all actions, except family proceedings.
  • To appear before Magistrates, District Judges (Magistrates’ Court) or Justices’ Legal Advisers in the Magistrates’ Court in relation to all civil and enforcement matters.
  • To appear before any tribunal having jurisdiction in England and Wales, which is listed in Schedule 6 of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 (as amended or substituted from time to time) where the tribunal rules provide for a non-discretionary right of audience available to barristers, solicitors and CILEX Advocates.
  • To appear before Coroners’ Courts in respect of all matters determined by those Courts and to exercise rights of audience similar to those exercised by solicitors and barristers. A Civil Litigation Certificate does not confer a right of audience in any proceedings for which a Family Proceedings Certificate is required.
  • In addition, a Chartered Legal Executive Litigator and Advocate (Civil Litigation) is also a Commissioner for Oaths.

Modules included within the course:

  • Professional conduct
  • Interviewing
  • Fact management
  • Negotiation
  • Witness statements
  • Evidence
  • Case analysis and theory
  • Skeleton arguments
  • Legal submissions / drafting
  • Advocacy – examination in chief, cross examination, opening speech, closing speech, legal submission

Through immersive, practice-informed learning, you will:   

  • Build strong technical legal skills, including drafting, submissions and court advocacy.
  • Develop your understanding of procedural requirements and day-to-day case preparation.
  • Develop legal ethics and audit accountability, gaining a deeper appreciation of how high-quality advocacy functions in practice.
  • Enhance your employability and personal development skills sought by firms and employers.
  • Gain real insight into how lawyers manage demanding court preparation caseloads.
  • Work through skills-based activities with practical formative assessment.

The course is delivered by CILEX Law School over a 5-day period, followed by an assessment. 

To be eligible for this course you must have:

  • Completed CPQ Professional Stage (Dispute Resolution: Civil Pathway).
  • Gained your Certificate of Eligibility (demonstrated 5 litigation cases and 3 advocacy cases) via CILEx Regulation (CRL).

On successful completion of the course and, provided you meet the litigation requirements through your Work Based Learning Portfolio, you’ll be eligible to be authorised by CRL as CILEX Chartered Legal Executive Litigator and Advocate title, making you workplace ready for court and positioning you strongly for future career progression.  

Register your interest via the ‘Law School: Advocacy Programme (Dispute Resolution)’ enquiry category on the Contact us enquiry form 

Register your interest