The six-week Bar Council Training Scheme (BCTS), which ran until 20 July, focused on international commercial law, and provided placements at chambers and a bespoke BPP University academic programme. The lawyers gained an understanding of the English legal system, the way barristers operate, and the skills required for international practice.

The new programme incorporates elements of the Lord Chancellor’s Training Scheme (LCTS), which ended last April after 20 years of Ministry of Justice funding. Up to 15 Chinese lawyers took part in the LCTS each year, and a number of them subsequently set up private law firms in China, and became involved in drafting new government legislation.