Bar Council Recommend BPTC Reforms

A number of recommendations were made in The Rivlin Report, conducted by His Honour Geoffrey Rivlin QC. Not least of all is the notion that the entry standards to the BPTC must be raised “to ensure that only those with a realistic chance of a career at the Bar undertake it… BCAT is not fit for its purpose and should be replaced with the introduction of a basic level test that has the effect of ensuring that those on the course possess the necessary skills that would enable them to secure pupillage.”

Evidently, there seems to be concerns that the number of students undertaking the BPTC is significantly higher than those awarded pupillage. Indeed, it was found that 25% of BPTC students at City Law School had a 2:2 in 2012, with one-third of students at Manchester Met having the same degree class. This may be an explanation as to why it has been suggested that early applications for pupillage should be introduced (much like the application process for a training contract), “so that those applying for the BPTC know whether they have a pupillage or not. Pupillage should not, itself, be a requirement for the BPTC, but students without it must understand the risk they are taking.”

There are also calls for BPTC providers to publish pupillage success rates, and for pass marks to be increased “only students with the necessary skills should be able to embark on the second part”.