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The Quality Assurance Scheme for Advocates will regulate the quality of all advocates appearing in the criminal courts in England and Wales, whether they are barristers, solicitors, or legal executives. The Scheme will include all advocates whether they are self-employed or employed, and whether they are acting for the prosecution or defence.

The Scheme has been developed jointly by the Bar Standards Board, the Solicitors Regulation Authority and ILEX Professional Standards, which together comprise the Joint Advocacy Group (JAG). JAG has conducted three consultations with the professions on the Scheme, along with targeted consultation and meetings with all interested parties.

The fundamental elements of the Scheme are:

a. Advocacy standards have been developed against which all advocates will be assessed.

b. Advocates will be accredited at one of four levels - for example, a Level 1 advocate can undertake work in the Magistrates Court and a Level 4 advocate normally undertakes the most serious cases in the Crown Court.

c. Advocates may progress through the four levels by demonstrating through assessment that they meet the required standard for the next level. Advocates who choose to remain at their current level will be required to re-accredit at that level every five years.

d. There will be two options for assessment within the Scheme; assessment by judicial evaluation or assessment primarily by an assessment organisation (where the advocate will be assessed in a range of simulated exercises) plus some judicial evaluation.

e. Judges will be able to complete assessments of advocates of their own accord and send them directly to the regulators to consider.