About the Advocacy Training Council

In 2005 the Australian Bar Association created ATC.

As the peak body for Australian barristers it was important for the ABA to take the lead in providing both the initial and ongoing training of barristers practising at the independent referral Bars. Historically each state and territory Bar was responsible for entry level training. The ABA now assists the smaller State and Territory Bars at the entry level.

The creation of the ATC was also a clear recognition of the ABA’s emphasis on the maintenance and enhancement of professional standards, in particular, advocacy training consistent with it's objectives.

The Honourable Susan Kiefel AC, Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia, is the Patron of the Advocacy Training Council. The inaugural chair of the ATC was The Hon. Justice Glenn Martin AM. 

The functions and responsibilities of the ATC are:

• To provide a forum for:
  • the development and rollout of good practice for advocacy training at the Bar;
  • communication between advocacy training providers who provide advocacy training to the Bar.
• To provide advice, support and encouragement to advocacy trainers to assist them to become more efficient trainers.
• To provide advice, support and encouragement to providers of advocacy training within at the State and territory Bars to enable them to develop courses for barristers and those enrolled in vocational training for barristers.
• To promote the development of course materials for advocacy training to maintain a library of training materials which can be provided to trainers subject to appropriate consents.
• To liaise with and provide assistance to other jurisdictions and providers of advocacy training if requested to do so.
• To consult with the State and Territory Bars with a view to establishing an acceptible basis to asses advocates at the pupilage level.

If you wish, you can download and read the ABA Statement of Professional Excellence.

The members of the ATC can be found on the Faculty page and you may contact the ATC via the Contact Us page.