Olivia Davin and Zahra Khan participated in two training weekends for youth court advocacy as part of their preparations for the ‘second six’ of pupillage. 

The Pupil Barristers spent two weekends in March training with the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA) and the Youth Justice Legal Centre, respectively.

Speaking about the training, Pupil Barrister Olivia Davin said: “These training weekends have been invaluable for Zahra and me. It is especially incredible as preparation for us both as we begin the ‘second six’ of pupillage. They are perfect events for prospective pupils and practitioners looking to consolidate youth justice representation skills.”

Olivia has kindly summarised the events for those considering attending in the future. 

Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA) – Children in Conflict with the Law

The ICCA training was highly interactive with workshops and exercises utilised to aid our learning. A particular strength of the weekend was the takeaways it provided attendees with. We were gifted useful resources and individual feedback that I will definitely look to build into my practice.

• Required trainees to prepare a sentencing note for a youth offender
• In-depth feedback on the individual skeletons 
• Workshops on advocacy tips for the youth court and advice for conferences 
• General structure for sentencing reports as well as a comprehensive overview of the law relating to youth sentencing guidelines 
• An advocacy exercise with individual feedback
• Resources such as templates for applications and crib sheets for the relevant law.

Youth Justice Legal Centre Training

The Youth Justice Legal Centre Training was especially engaging in how it utilised young actors - giving performances, a question-and-answer session, and a mock conference. Plus, the lectures provided us with plenty of advice on applications, relevant case law, and background information on the youth justice system.

• A full day of lectures on youth sentencing guidelines, case law and submissions format
• Background of the system and why youth specialised training is important - what trauma, personal, and socioeconomic issues youths face that place them in the justice system 
• Advice on applications 
• Discussions of reports on disproportionality and fact findings of subconscious bias within the justice system and how to deal with this as an advocate 
• A performance and Q&A by young actors to demonstrate issues young people face in the modern day and how to interact effectively with them as their representation 
• A mock conference with a young actor to practice how to approach and build trust with young clients.

Reflections on Youth Court Justice Training

Both these events are highly recommended by Kenworthy's Pupil Barristers who feel better equipped to take on youth justice work following the training sessions. Armed with a wealth of resources thanks to the ICCA and the Youth Justice Legal Centre, both Olivia Davin and Zahra Khan feel inspired to represent children who find themselves in the justice system in the future. 

Speaking about the training weekends, Olivia Davin said: “The ICCA’s guide on sentencing submissions improved my comprehension of mitigation in the context of child defendants and aided my understanding of what the youth courts look for when deciding non-custodial sentences. The preliminary talks on the law and disparities within the justice system provided a useful background for making sentencing submissions. I am sure it will help me to provide effective advocacy in the youth courts in the near future. 

“The Youth Justice Legal Centre’s mock conference helped me understand how to build trust with young defendants and practice anticipating sensitive areas of discussion. I learned that establishing a rapport would be fundamental to fully grasping my client’s case and being able to represent them properly, in line with their individual needs and vulnerabilities. 

Criminal and Family Law specialist Zahra Khan said: “Attending training sessions with the ICCA and the Youth Justice Legal Centre has increased my confidence in representing vulnerable children and young adults in the legal justice system. The advocacy tips and personalised feedback were highly beneficial, and a memorable highlight was discovering common socioeconomic issues that young adults within the criminal justice system are faced with.”

Olivia Davin is a Pupil Barrister specialising in Criminal Law and Immigration, Asylum and Nationality. She commences her second six in July. Following the completion of her pupillage, she will practice in Crime and Immigration. 

Zahra Khan, currently in her second six, is a Pupil Barrister at Kenworthy’s Chambers who will practice in Criminal Law and Family and Finance upon completion of her pupillage.

If you have a case that you need advice or advocacy for, call our Clerks on 0161 832 4036, or fill out our contact form.