1Conference%20Skills%20%20SPS%202%20Hill%20v%20Hunter%202019-20%20Student%20Materials%20v.1 (1).docx

School of Law
Bar Professional Training Course
2019/2020
STUDENT PRACTICE SESSION
CONFERENCE SKILLS 2
Hill v Hunter
Subject Areas
 Conference Skills
 Obtaining information from client
 Identifying client wishes
 Civil Procedure
The purpose of this student practice session is to introduce you to
conferencing skills with reference to a civil matter. You will be expected to
work on the case of Hill v Hunter , a relatively simple personal injury case.
[Note: this same case scenario is used on the Drafting course. However,
focus on this set of materials for Conference SPS 2].
Aims
The aims of this session are to:
[1] Develop your skills of fact management so that you are able to
identify the facts in issue and any matters which may arise from them.
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[2] Develop your knowledge of civil procedure in relation to the
commencement of actions.
[3] Further develop your interpersonal skills including effective
communication, questioning techniques and giving advice.
[4] Further your knowledge on calculating and advising on quantum.
Objectives
By the end of this session you should have:
[1] Conducted a conference.
[2] Understood the importance of preparation to ensure that are able to
offer effective advice.
[3] Advised a client on procedure, chances of success (merits) and
quantum.
[4] Practised, reflected upon and improved your conferencing style.
[5] Received feedback about your conference performance.
Preparation
1. Read the guidance on the Conference Skills section of the eLP.
2. Read the materials after these instruction sheets for the case of Hill v
Hunter as provided by Instructing Solicitors.
3. Prepare a word-processed conference plan for your role as the
barrister in Hill v Hunter . Please make sure you read the guidance on
Conference Plans on the elp site before doing so.
4. In addition to conducting a conference as the barrister, you must also
prepare for your role as the client for this Student Practice Session.
This is very important, if you are not prepared you will seriously
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effect the educational benefit of the session for you and your
colleague.
5. Refer to Kemp and Kemp and Butterworths Personal Injury Litigation
Service to research quantum. The Remedies Manual will help to
explain how to research quantum.
This exercise should take you approximately 6 hours to prepare.
N.B. You will note that at the end of these SPS materials, there appears
some information which you should use to prepare for, and play the role of,
the client. When you are playing the role of the barrister in the SPS you
should ignore this information. Make the distinction between what you
know from the BRIEF (the documents preceding the client information
being pages (7 – 14 inclusive) which as the barrister you would be aware
of in real life and the client information itself, which as a barrister in real
life you would not know (pages 15 - 17).