Speakers:

Janet Mitchell, Sharan Bhachu, Helen Knott

Location:

Strand Palace Hotel, 372 Strand, London WC2R 0JJ

Date:

26 March 2012

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This masterclass is designed to give you the knowledge and skills that you need for effective preparation and confidence in carrying out advocacy in public law child care proceedings, with a focus on questioning professional witnesses and cross-examination.  Led by a team of experts with many years' experience in public law advocacy, this masterclass combines the use of lectures, group break out sessions and practical demonstrations.

As well as benefitting from a comprehensive update on interim removal hearings, assessments and relevant case-law developments, you will get the chance to practice the skills you have learnt throughout the day in a relaxed environment and receive feedback from the seminar leader and facilitators.

What is included?

• Tips and techniques to help you effectively elicit oral evidence from witnesses
• Practical tips and strategic advocacy advice from specialist and experienced barristers
• Guidance on tried and tested examination techniques
• Lectures, group discussion, practical demonstrations and the chance to practice the advocacy skills you have learnt
• Intermediate level training
• Plus! The chance to buy selected Family Law products at 20% discount

Who should attend?

• Solicitors and barristers representing parents, children and extended family members
• Local authority lawyers
• Legal executives
• Senior social services staff
• Children’s Guardians
• Solicitors applying for Law Society Children Panel accreditation

Comments from previous delegates

“Excellent course.  Extremely well structured, the coaching style of delivery was particularly helpful” 
Janet Millar, Partner, Howard & Over Solicitors

“Very useful and relevant.  Pitched at just the right level for the moderately experienced advocate in care proceedings”  Penny Nicholson, Solicitor, Worcestershire County Council

“Excellent content, good informal delivery.  Very informative and useful for future practice” 
Sally Perrett, Solicitor, Vale of Glamorgan Council

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SEMINAR LEADER

Janet Mitchell
Head of Chambers and Family Team, 4 Brick Court
Janet is experienced in all areas of family work, both private and public children law.  Her particular areas of expertise in child protection cases include sexual abuse, female and male paedophiles, shaken baby, sudden infant death cases, non-accidental injury, adoption and public interest immunity.  She has been instructed in numerous cases involving unexplained injuries or deaths.  In the private law arena, she is experienced in abduction, adoption, contact, residence and wardship.  Janet also lectures widely on advocacy, litigation and public law. 

SEMINAR FACILITATORS 

Sharan Bhachu
Barrister, 4 Brick Court
Sharan has developed a practice in all aspects of family law, with particular emphasis on child protection work.  She is regularly instructed on behalf of parents, local authorities and children's Guardians and has developed a reputation for being straightforward and forthright.  Sharan's experience in public law is extensive, ranging from emergency protection orders to secure accommodation orders and discharging care orders.  Similarly, her experience in private law is also wide-ranging and includes declarations of parentage and all aspects of abduction, Hague and non-Hague Convention related.
 
Sharan has considerable expertise in sexual, physical and non-accidental abuse cases and she has often represented interveners in such cases. Her work involves regular cross-examination of a wide range of experts, including those from the medical profession.  Sharan has been instructed in cases involving transgender and cultural issues and by solicitors who have vulnerable clients.  She has often acted through the Official Solicitor and is experienced in Court of Protection work, particularly in cases where the interplay between family law and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 occurs.
 
Helen Knott
Barrister, 4 Brick Court
Helen was called to the bar in 2002.  She acts for local authorities, parents and children in both private and public law proceedings.  Prior to studying law, Helen was a local authority social worker for 12 years and has a particular interest in, and knowledge of, childcare work.  Helen is experienced in advising and representing clients in complex cases.  She also has experience of work concerning the protection and welfare of vulnerable adults and has acted for local authorities and respondents.  Helen has delivered training in both family and employment law.  She has also advised a London local authority on Court of Protection work and developments in the application of the Mental Capacity Act.

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09.30 REGISTRATION AND COFFEE

10.00 Welcome and Introduction
Janet Mitchell
 
10.10 Concise Case-Law and Procedural Update 
Guidance on recent key developments including:
• Interim removal hearings
• Assessments
• Evidential considerations
• The impact of recent decisions on practice

10.30 Case Study: Interim Removal of a Child
Guidance on applying principles to the facts

10.40 Group Break Out Session: Identifying Relevant Issues and Formulating Questions for the Social Worker

11.15 REFRESHMENTS

11.30 Demonstration and Role Play: Examination-in-Chief and Cross-Examination of a Social Worker
• Identifying the issues relevant to an interim hearing
• Do’s and don’ts of questioning witnesses
• Cross-examination of a social worker in groups followed by a demonstration from the seminar leader and facilitators

13.00 LUNCH

14.00 Experts: The Principles, Tips and Traps
• When to instruct an expert
• Selecting the right expert based on the facts of the case
• Making the choice between experts

14.20 Case Study: Expert Identification and Examination Technique
 
14.30 Group Break Out Session: Identifying Relevant Issues and Formulating Questions for a Medical Expert and Independent Social Worker

15.15 AFTERNOON TEA

15.30 Examination-in-Chief and Cross-Examination of Medical Experts, Psychiatrists and Independent Social Workers
• Identifying good and bad questions
• How to conduct examination-in-chief effectively
• Tips and traps
• Cross-examination of an expert in groups followed by demonstrations of cross-examination of a medical expert and an independent social worker from the seminar leader and facilitators

17.00 Question and Answer Session

17.15 CLOSE OF SEMINAR

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Under the Solicitors Regulation Authority, ILEX’s Continuing Professional Development Schemes seminar will receive a credit of 5 hours 45 minutes.
Under the Bar Standards Board’s New/Established Practitioner Programmes this seminar will receive a credit of 5 hours 30 minutes.

Enquiries
Jordan Publishing Limited,
Conference Department,
21 St Thomas Street,
Bristol
BS1 6JS
Tel: 0117 918 1490
Fax 0117 925 0486
DX 78161 Bristol

Fee
All fees are inclusive of refreshments, lunch and course documentation. Cheques payable to Jordan Publishing Limited.

Booking Terms
If you book online you may enter your credit card details, or ask to be invoiced. All invoices for this seminar must be paid within 30 days of the invoice date. Registering your details on the booking form will constitute a booking. Telephone bookings are only accepted if paid by credit card. All other bookings must be confirmed in writing.

Seminar Venue
Strand Palace Hotel
372 Strand
London
WC2R 0JJ

Acknowledgement of Bookings
Full details of the venue, including a map, will be sent via email two weeks prior to the seminar. If you have not received acknowledgement of your registration one week before the seminar, please telephone our Conference Department on 0117 918 1490 to confirm that your registration has been received.

Registration on the Day
The seminar will start promptly at 10:00. Registration will take place in the preceding half hour.

Substitute Delegates
If you are unable to attend, a substitute may attend in your place. It would be helpful if you would inform us of any changes as soon as possible.

Cancellation and Refunds
A credit against the registration fee payable (less an administration fee of £50.00 plus VAT) can only be made in respect of written cancellations received by Jordan Publishing in Bristol at least 10 days before the conference. The full registration fee plus VAT is payable on cancellations received less than 10 days before the conference. Cancellation of third and subsequent places will cause remaining delegates to revert to full fee.

Please note:
It may be necessary for reasons beyond the control of Jordan Publishing to change the content and/or timings of the programme and/or speakers.