Junior Advocacy

COMBAR’s Junior Advocacy Committee and Junior COMBAR will this year host an inaugural series of advocacy seminars examining the key elements of oral trial advocacy and open exclusively to members of Junior COMBAR (i.e. junior commercial barristers up to 10 years’ call). This seminar series is one of several initiatives that COMBAR and Junior COMBAR are developing in light of the results of last year’s COMBAR Junior Advocacy Survey.

Delivered by leading practitioners, each seminar in the series will focus on the practical aspects of trial advocacy and share techniques and strategies for navigating common challenges, opportunities and pitfalls in conducting trials. The seminars will be held in-person and under the Chatham House Rule to facilitate an open and interactive exchange.

Full details of each seminar are included toward the bottom of this page. To attend a seminar, please register using the relevant registration link below. We anticipate high demand for places at each seminar and therefore encourage early registration. There will be a waiting list for seminars that are over-subscribed.

We are conscious that the timing of seminars in this series may not suit everyone and that some members who would like to attend may be unable to do so because of court or other commitments. If the seminars are well received, we intend to explore repeating the series in the same or a similar format in 2027 and, in that event, priority will be given to those who were unable to attend this year’s series.

23 January 26 update – All sessions are now oversubscribed, registration has been closed and everyone who has applied for a place will be written to shortly to let them know if they have a place or if they are on the reserve list.

Seminar 1—Trial Preparation & Opening Submissions
5.30 pm, 28 January 2026 at Quadrant Chambers; registration now closed.

Seminar 2—Cross-Examination of Factual Witnesses
5 pm, 24 February 2026 at Essex Court Chambers; registration now closed.

Seminar 3—Cross-Examination of Experts
5.30 pm, 11 March 2026 at Twenty Essex ; registration now closed.

Seminar 4—Closing Cases
5 pm, 29 April 2026 at Brick Court Chambers; registration now closed.

Seminar 5—Advocacy in International Arbitration
5.30 pm, 13 May 2026 at 3VB; registration now closed.

Please note these sessions are open to members of Junior COMBAR only.

COMBAR JUNIOR ADVOCACY SEMINARS 2026

Date & Venue	Topic	Speakers
Wednesday, 28 January 2026 5.30 pm Quadrant Chambers 10 Fleet Street EC4Y 1AU	Trial Preparation & Opening Submissions Developing case theory How to prepare a case for opening Role of legal submissions in opening Using written and oral submissions effectively	Luke Parsons KC Poonam Melwani KC
Tuesday, 24 February 2026 5 pm Essex Court Chambers 24 Lincoln’s Inn Fields WC2A 3EG	Cross-Examination of Factual Witnesses Planning your cross-examination Identifying what needs to be put and challenged How to phrase (and not phrase) your questions Dealing with dishonest or garrulous witnesses Re-examination and its pitfalls	Steven Berry KC Philippa Hopkins KC
Wednesday, 11 March 2026 5.30 pm Twenty Essex 20 Essex Street WC2R 3AL	Cross-Examination of Experts Understanding unfamiliar subject matter Using your own expert effectively Presenting technical evidence clearly Hot-tubbing: formats and use cases	Rebecca Sabben-Clare KC Richard Waller KC
Wednesday, 29 April 2026 5 pm Brick Court Chambers 7–8 Essex Street WC2R 3LD	Closing Cases What to do with the evidence Role of legal submissions in closing Changing your case	Helen Davies KC Richard Blakeley KC
Wednesday, 13 May 2026 5.30 pm 3VB – Three Verulam Buildings Gray’s Inn WC1R 5NT	Advocacy in International Arbitration Different arbitration procedures Making submissions under non-English law Dealing with diverse tribunals	Peter de Verneuil Smith KC Jane Davies Evans KC

The July 2025 – Junior Advocacy Practice Guidance may be found here.

For further details of the work of the Junior Advocacy Committee please email admin@combar.com.