Bar Transfer Course

Introduction

Being committed to its vision of improving the legal education in the country, Denning Law School is now also offering the academic and vocational training for the Bar Transfer Test (the “BTT“), a unique test designed for advocates who are licensed to practice in the courts in Pakistan. Successful completion of the BTT will allow the Pakistani qualified lawyers to be called to the Bar of England & Wales and become a barrister.

The studies and training for the BTT will be conducted in Pakistan at DLS and the examination along with the Qualifying Sessions of the Inns of Court will be held in UK.

DLS has qualified and experience faculty and staff who will guide the aspiring barristers in all aspects of their BTT qualifications, be it academic or otherwise.

After completing and passing such exams which are conducted in March and August every year through BPP University, the student can successfully get admitted to the bar of England and Wales and achieve their goal of attaining the title of a barrister.

Bar Transfer Test

The Bar Standards Board (the “BSB”), being the regulator of barristers in the England & Wales, regulates the enrolment and conduct of the barristers.

The BSB has the power to exempt qualified lawyers from the Academic, Vocational and/or Professional stages of training for the Bar of England and Wales, subject to clearance of the BTT.

The BTT is comprised of centrally assessed modules comprising academic components and vocational components.

The BTT consists of written papers and oral assessments. In addition, those candidates sitting the Advocacy assessment are required to attend a compulsory training course at the BPP University, before undertaking the assessment.

The BTT program is offered through a Partner University: BPP University, UK. Students shall be giving the BTT exams through BPP University.

Curriculum

The BTT consists of two sections – Part A and Part B:

Part A

(Academic Components)

Public Law (Constitutional, Administrative Law and Human Rights)
Law of the European Union
Criminal Law
Obligations (Contract, Restitution and Tort)
Property/Land Law
Equity and the Law of Trusts
English Legal System

Part B

(Professional Components)

Advocacy;
Civil Litigation and Evidence
Criminal Litigation, Evidence and Sentencing
Professional Ethics

The BSB has the discretion to grant exemptions on some or all of the exams of Part A, depending on the academic background and the prior experience as advocate in the commonwealth country, i.e Pakistan.

An applicant who holds a law degree from UK or common law jurisdiction, such as Pakistan will usually not be required to pass the Academic Component sections of the BTT.

DLS registration team will thoroughly check each candidates professional and academic background and thereafter advise them in respect of which modules he can seek an exemption in and the probability of getting such exemption.

Faculty Profile

Barrister Iftikhar Shah

Faculty for Civil Advocacy and Criminal Advocacy

Barrister Iftikhar Ahmed Shah is currently working alongside Mr. Amir Mansoob Qureshi, one of the country’s leading criminal lawyers. Mr. Shah graduated from SZABIST with a first class honours in his LLB (UoL) then moved on to do his Bar from UWE (University of West of England) Bristol, with a VC (very competent). Mr. Shah’s previous experience while doing his Bar coupled with his current status as a practicing advocate enables him to give his students the best possible understanding of the advocate’s advocacy.

Barrister Furqan Siddiqui

Faculty for Professional Ethics

Mr. Siddiqui is an Advocate High Court, practising in Civil and Banking and Finance related Criminal litigation matters. Mr. Siddiqui did his LLB(Hons) from the University of London, BPTC from Northumbria University, LLM in International Business Law from University of Newcastle & was called to the Bar of England and Wales at Lincoln’s Inn. He is been teaching at the Denning Law School since 2019.

Abdulqadir Naeem

Faculty for Criminal Litigation, Evidence & Sentencing

Abdulqadir Naeem is one of the founding members of the Denning Law School. Abdulqadir is a renowned teacher with many of his students achieving distinctions and merits every year. His teaching methodology resonates with his students as it involves breaking down complicated legal concepts and explaining them in a manner which the students can relate to, understand and easily apply in their examinations.

Abdulqadir completed his BBA from the Institute of Business Administration (Karachi) and achieved a world distinction (First Class Honors) in his LLB (Hons) Degree from the University of London.

In addition to his academic career, Abdulqadir has been associated with HaidermotaBNR & Co. one of the top corporate law firm in the country, where he was directly involved in matters pertaining to financing (including conventional, Islamic and project financing), mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructuring and general corporate/commercial matters.

Huzaifa Muqadam

Faculty for Civil Litigation & Evidence

Huzaifa Muqadam is a law graduate from the University of London with a world distinction in Law of Equity & Trusts. He has been associated with Denning Law School since its inception in 2014. He has been a renowned and acclaimed teacher with his students consistently outshining in their exams. His students highly respect him and consider him to be extremely approachable in relation to all aspects.

Besides teaching, Huzaifa has worked at Pakistan’s premier corporate law firm, HaidermotaBNR & Co. for more than two years where he was involved in legal matters relating primarily to project financing and public private partnerships. Following his dream to serve the country and bring about a positive change in the public sector, Huzaifa also served as Assistant Director (Legal) in Public Private Partnership Unit to advise the Government of Sindh on its public private partnership initiatives. Huzaifa has spoken in multiple training sessions relating to legal risks involved in public projects which were attended by public officers of various public sector organisations.

Eligibility Criteria and Admission Process

Eligibility Criteria

LLB
Strong command over written and spoken English
License to practice and appear before any of the courts in Pakistan. (Student who will get the license by January 10, 2020 can also apply)

Admission Process at Denning Law School

Filling out the online application form below
Submission of Application Documents (you will receive an email request for the same);
Providing a writing sample (1500 words on a legal topic to be provided)
Final Interview

Fee Structure

The fee structure for the BTT course for the academic session 2021-2022 shall be as follows:

Tuition Fees	Rs. 280,000
Registration Charges	Rs. 50,000
Study Material	Rs. 20,000
Total Fee	Rs. 350, 000

Note: The tuition fees do not include visa, travelling, fees payable to the University, Lincolns Inn and the Bar Standard Board (BSB).