Information for other Lawyers

Information for Barristers from other parts of the UK, and legal practitioners from other EU Member States, who are interested in transferring to the Scottish bar.

If you are a barrister in England & Wales, or in Northern Ireland, who has completed a full period of pupillage, or if you are a legal practitioner from another EU Member State, the pathway to becoming an Advocate is as follows.

You must matriculate as an Intrant:  the Regulations as to Intrants specify the criteria which must be met in order to do this. 

You must pass the Aptitude Test, which is a combination of written and oral examinations (full details are to be found in the Regulations).  This may be undertaken at any of the Faculty’s examination diets (which are in February, May and October).  The entire Aptitude Test must be completed at the one sitting, and candidates are restricted to two attempts at passing the Aptitude Test. 

If a candidate fails one part of the Aptitude Test, (s)he is allowed one further attempt at passing that particular examination at one of the two following examination diets (and would be exempt from re-taking the examinations already passed).  If a candidate fails more than one part of the Aptitude Test, then (s)he is permitted one further attempt at undertaking the entire Aptitude Test (at one of the following two examination diets).

Although there is no compulsory period of pupillage for candidates in these categories, candidates generally find it useful to undertake an informal period of pupillage and the Faculty will assist in facilitating such an arrangement.

Further details are set out in the Faculty’s Admission Regulations.

If you would like more information please contact the Faculty of Advocates admissions@advocates.org.uk.

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