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News
Top QC argues against limit on BPTC places
updated on 21 March 2013
Prominent barrister Michael Mansfield QC has argued against imposing a limit on the number of Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) places.
Mansfield, who is the barrister for the families of Stephen Lawrence, Dodi Al-Fayed and Jean Charles de Menezes, stated his opposition to any move to discourage aspiration and curtail choice, despite the fact that there are too few pupillage places for all the aspiring barristers who take the BPTC.
Speaking to Lawyer2B, Mansfield said: "If you restrict the numbers of people coming up through the pipeline the argument is that you don't want to disappoint them, but on the other hand there's a whole welter of people who, on that basis, don’t get anywhere near the door, so I'm not in favour. I think if they're aware of the difficulties, you say to somebody: 'It's a pretty hopeless situation, on the other hand, if you feel you're up for it I'm not going to discourage you from doing it, as long as you’re aware of the odds.' For anyone else to decide that there will only be two places and to decide who gets them is mildly arrogant."
