Published on October 5, 2020 by lauraduckett

Corinne Novell, a Durham University undergraduate, has won BPP’s Advocate of the Year competition. The prize was a £5,000 scholarship towards her Barrister Training Course at BPP University Law School.

Corinne went up against 16 finalists from 13 different universities in this month’s virtual grand final, which was due to be held at the Old Bailey last March. The finalists had been waiting for the rescheduled final after securing their places at the regional heats which were held in November.

Corinne said she was “delighted” to have been named advocate of the year and expressed her thanks to BPP for organising the event and for their generosity in providing a scholarship as a prize.

More students than in previous years, as well as a wider range of universities, entered into this year’s competition. Owing to this greater level of competition from talented students, the standard of advocacy displayed by the other finalists was very high this year. BPP also awarded second place with a £2,000 scholarship to Constance Halliwell from Lancaster University and 3rd place with a £1,000 scholarship to Amy McKechnie from Liverpool University.

In rescheduling the event, that is usually held in March, the organisers looked to mirror the changes the courts have made in response to Covid-19 by bringing the competition online via MS Teams. Dean of BPP Law School, Andrew Chadwick complimented the “guild and pedigree of talent” shown amongst this year’s finalists particularly as they had to embrace the different dynamic that is online advocacy.


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Competition Background

BPP’s Advocate of the Year is an annual competition for undergraduate students of any discipline, studying at university in England or Wales. The students are marked on amongst other things their submission advocacy, examination-in-chief and cross examination.

The competition is judged by law school tutors and external practitioners, who are all qualified lawyers with real trial experience. This year leading QC Nick Corsellis of QEB Hollis Whiteman Chambers acted as Head Judge.
Bar Societies will be invited to enter a team to the regional heats in Oct 2020.

Words: Alicia Gibson

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