The Role of the Duty Solicitor - 6 Essential Modules with Colin Beaumont

Introduction

Join Colin Beaumont for this 6-part modular webinar series on the role of the Duty Solicitor. With expert insights and practical guidance, these sessions are tailored to help you navigate the changing demands of the role.

What You Will Learn

This modular webinar series will cover the following:

Module 1 - The Duty Solicitor at the Police Station

This module will cover:

• Tactics when given inadequate disclosure by the police
• Effective use of written statements in the interview/post-charge interviews/samples
• Both intimate and non-intimate/fingerprints and photographs

Module 2 - The Duty Solicitor at the Magistrates’ Court

This module will cover:

• Assisting clients in the cells who have been arrested on warrants
• Assisting clients in the foyer who are there in relation to offences punishable with a term of imprisonment
• Assisting clients in the area of credit for an early guilty plea
• Advising on the position where clients are sent to the Crown Court for trial or committed to the Crown Court for sentence
• Re-openings and statutory declarations

Module 3 - The Duty Solicitor dealing with Children and Young People in the Criminal Justice System

This module will cover:

• Children and young people jointly charged with adults and appearing in the Adult Magistrates’ Court
• Representations on the appropriate venue for trial on serious offences
• Bail applications when there is an application by the prosecution for a remand into custody
• Referral Orders
• Circumstances in which children and young people may be sent for trial to the Crown Court or committed for sentence to the Crown Court

Module 4 - The Duty Solicitor advising on all aspects of bail - both pre-charge and post-charge

This module will cover:

• The time periods and rank of officer in relation to granting bail pre-charge
• Applications to the court for variation of pre-charge bail conditions
• Applications to court for extensions of pre-charge bail beyond 9 months
• The number of bail applications that may be made in court
• Applications for remands in custody when dealing with summary-only offences punishable with imprisonment
• What to say if you are not in a position to make a bail application for a client on the occasion of his/her first remand

Module 5 - The Duty Solicitor advising on road traffic offences in the Magistrates’ Court

This module will cover:

• Those clients who may have the services of the Duty Solicitor under your crime contract and those clients who are ineligible
• Advising in the area of alcohol and driving
• Advising in the area of drugs and driving
• Penalty points and disqualifications from driving/re-tests/special reasons and exceptional hardship

Module 6 - Duty Solicitor/Solicitors generally - the Billing of Police Station & Magistrates’ Court Work

This module will cover:

• Amendments as regards the fees for police station work introduced for new business on or after 6th December 2024
• The introduction of the concept of payment for travel time and disbursements when attending certain police stations
• Amendments as regards standard fee payments when dealing with the more serious offences in the youth Court
• Entering a mixture of guilty and not guilty pleas and the effect upon the fee
• Non-standard fee payments on a CRM 7
• Advocacy assistance on a CRM 3

This pre-recorded webinar will be available to view from Wednesday 21st May 2025

Alternatively, you can gain access to this webinar and 1,700+ others via the MBL Webinar Subscription. Please email webinarsubscription@mblseminars.com for more details.