Advocacy and Vulnerable Witnesses: 20 Years on from the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999

Advocacy and Vulnerable Witnesses:

20 Years on from the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999

3rd International Advocacy Conference

Centre for Advocacy, Nottingham Law School in conjunction with The Advocate’s Gateway

About the International Advocacy Conference

In conjunction with The Advocate’s Gateway, the Centre for Advocacy at Nottingham Law School is pleased to host the 3rd Annual International Advocacy Conference. The Conference will be held on Friday 21 June 2019 at the Nottingham Law School, Nottingham Trent University and aims to bring together all those with an interest in criminal procedure and evidence as well the teaching and development of advocacy skills. The Conference will provide opportunities for trial advocates, members of the judiciary, intermediaries, policy makers, health and social care professionals and academics from around the world to meet and share best practice.

Key Note Speaker and Call for Papers

We are delighted to welcome Sir Nicholas Green LJ, Chairman of the Law Commission and former Chairman of the Bar Council and Advocacy Training Council, as our Key Note Speaker

Marking the 20th anniversary of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999, the aim of the conference is to explore the legacy of the 1999 Act, its impacts and its future. Proposals are hereby invited for papers and workshops which may include, but are not limited to:

• restriction on the use of previous sexual history evidence, theory and practice;
• the effectiveness of special measures in achieving best evidence;
• the extent to which vulnerable witnesses (including defendants) can participate effectively in the trial;
• the fairness of the use of special measures to the parties;
• the operation of Ground Rules Hearings;
• international best practices for vulnerable witnesses; and
• the use of technology to ensure effective participation and modernisation.

Guidance for Submissions

Proposals are now invited for papers, presentations, debates and/or workshops on any of the themes above.  Proposals should specify the names of the speaker(s)/facilitator(s), the nature of the session (for example, whether it is a presentation, workshop, etc), how long the session will last (30 minutes, 45 minutes or an hour), and what AV facilities are required, if any.

Proposals should also include a 200 word abstract, clearly tying the session content to the main theme of the conference, and any topic as relevant. Proposals for papers/presentations/workshops should be titled “Advocacy Conference 2019” and sent to [email protected]  no later than Monday 1 April 2019. Please indicate any preference in terms of time.

Attendance at the Conference

All those interested in the issues are very welcome to attend the conference, whether or not they are giving a presentation. Registration for the Conference is charged in the following manner:

• A standard rate of £60 for attendees.
• A reduced rate of £30 for external PhD students or members of charitable organisations.

These fees are not payable for staff or students of Nottingham Trent University. The fee will be waived for speakers at the Conference.

To register for the Conference, please visit: https://www.ntu.ac.uk/about-us/events/events/2019/06/third-international-advocacy-teaching-conference

Lunch will be provided, as well as tea/ coffee and refreshments at registration and during the morning and afternoon breaks. If you have any special dietary requirements please notify us. If you have any special requirements to enable you to participate more comfortably, please let us know and we will do our very best to meet them.

Key Dates and Information

The following timeline will provide you with the relevant information you require moving forward.

Contact Details

For further information please contact:

Mark Thomas ([email protected]; 0115 848 6627)

Director of the Centre for Advocacy, Nottingham Law School