Witness familiarisation training for court, tribunal, regulatory and arbitral proceedings

Giving evidence is one of the most demanding professional experiences most people will face. Barristers, solicitors and judges spend years training in courtroom procedure, the rules of evidence, and the techniques of examination and cross-examination. Witnesses, by contrast, step into that environment usually for the first time, with little understanding of how questioning works, what the court expects, or how their evidence will be assessed. That imbalance can damage entirely truthful evidence, simply because the witness did not understand the environment in which they were giving it.

Witness familiarisation training closes that gap. Half-day or full-day sessions, depending on group size, delivered by a practising barrister and fee-paid judge with experience of more than 1,000 contested cases. The training explains how hearings work, how cross-examination is structured, how credibility is assessed, and how to give evidence calmly and effectively. It is fully compliant with the Bar Council’s Guidance on Witness Preparation (October 2005) and the principles set out in R v Momodou [2005] EWCA Crim 177. It is firmly within the boundaries of legitimate familiarisation and contains no element of coaching.

The training is based on my book Winning in the Witness Box: A Practical Familiarisation Guide to Giving Evidence, which every delegate receives as part of the fee.

Familiarisation, not coaching

The distinction is fundamental and is explained in R v Momodou and reinforced by the Bar Council. Buyers and witnesses should understand it clearly before any preparation begins.

Witness familiarisation is legitimate and is encouraged by the Bar Council and the Court of Appeal. It explains the process of giving evidence: how hearings are structured, how questioning works, how judges and tribunals assess credibility, and how a witness should approach the experience. It does not involve any discussion of the substance of the witness’s evidence.

Witness coaching is improper and may be unlawful. It involves rehearsing evidence on the actual issues in the case, telling a witness what to say or what to avoid saying, suggesting wording, aligning a witness’s account with documents or other witnesses, or rehearsing answers to anticipated cross-examination on the real disputed facts. This is prohibited and can have serious legal consequences for both the witness and those advising them.

My training is firmly within the proper boundaries. I have no knowledge of the substance of the case in which the witness will be giving evidence, and I do not want any. Any mock cross-examination during the session uses a neutral, fictitious case study unconnected to the witness’s real proceedings. These boundaries are non-negotiable and are explained in detail in Winning in the Witness Box.

Two ways to book

Format comparison

Every delegate receives a copy of Winning in the Witness Box. All sessions include the standard syllabus (set out below), a neutral mock cross-examination role play with individual feedback, and a session handout summarising the key points.

Format 1: In-person at your premises or at chambers

A session delivered at your offices, your law firm’s offices, or at my chambers at 330 High Holborn, London. The session is 4 hours for 1 to 2 delegates, or a full day (9:00 to 17:00 with 45 minute lunch and two breaks) for groups of up to 6. In-person delivery works particularly well where the mock cross-examination benefits from physical staging (formal seating, papers, water, the experience of being looked at by a panel of decision-makers), and for witnesses who would benefit from face-to-face contact.

Book an in-person witness familiarisation session or request a tailored quote.

Format 2: Live online via video conference

Delivered via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or another platform of your choice. The platform can replicate the conditions of a virtual or hybrid hearing if relevant. For 1 to 2 delegates, the 4-hour session runs as a single block with a mid-point break. For up to 6 delegates, the full-day content is split across two consecutive half-day sessions (each 9:00 to 12:30) to protect attention and the quality of mock cross-examination feedback. Splitting the day reduces screen fatigue without losing any of the syllabus.

Online prices include a 20% discount on the in-person rate, reflecting the absence of travel time and venue logistics. Online delivery is well suited to short-notice instructions, witnesses based outside London, witnesses giving evidence in virtual or hybrid hearings, and overseas witnesses giving evidence under UK law.

Book an online witness familiarisation session or request a quote.

What the session covers

The syllabus is drawn from my book Winning in the Witness Box and is the same in both formats. Depth of coverage in each area scales with the session length: the 4-hour session covers the same ground as the full day at a more efficient pace, with mock cross-examination time scaled to the number of delegates. Areas covered include:

The role of the witness. What a witness is for, what “winning” properly means for a witness giving evidence (it is not about winning the case), the limits of personal knowledge, the duty to the court, and the consequences of getting it wrong, including findings of dishonesty, criminal liability for perjury, and the damage to professional standing. Real cases including Jeffrey Archer, Jonathan Aitken and Ajao v Commerzbank AG illustrate how dishonest evidence catches up with witnesses long after the original case is over.

How the adversarial system works. The difference between examination in chief, cross-examination and re-examination. Why each phase exists and how it operates. The role of the judge, the lawyers, the court staff, and the witness within the structure.

Preparation that is permitted, and preparation that is not. Reviewing your witness statement. Reviewing the documents you have signed or that you are likely to be asked about. Practical familiarisation exercises. The strict ethical boundaries that govern witness preparation under Momodou and the Bar Council Guidance. What to do (and not do) about your wellbeing, sleep, social media, and the day-before-trial.

The hearing environment. The courtroom or tribunal layout, who sits where, what to call the judge or panel, the sequence of being called in, taking the oath or affirmation, and what should be available to a witness in the witness box (water, the hearing bundle, breaks if needed). Tailored to the specific forum: civil court, criminal court, employment tribunal, professional regulatory hearing, or arbitration.

How cross-examination actually works. The techniques cross-examining lawyers use: leading questions, document-based challenge, sequencing of questions to build to a conclusion, control of pace and tone, and the techniques designed to test consistency and credibility. Understanding what is happening removes much of its power to unsettle a witness who is telling the truth.

How judges and tribunals assess credibility and reliability. This is the element most witnesses least understand, and the one that most directly affects outcome. Judges do not simply decide whether a witness “seems honest”. They apply structured criteria: consistency between oral evidence and prior documents, inherent plausibility, the witness’s ability to acknowledge uncertainty, the way the witness handles challenge, and a range of other factors. Understanding the assessment lets a witness give evidence in a way that supports rather than undermines their own credibility.

Mock cross-examination on a neutral case study. A practical exercise using a fictitious case unconnected to the witness’s real proceedings. Each delegate is cross-examined in role, observes how a barrister structures pressure, and receives detailed individual feedback on what worked, what did not, and how to recover from difficult moments. The case study is selected to be neutral on the witness’s real subject matter: any similarity is checked and avoided before the session. The full-day format provides more mock cross-examination time per delegate, which is the principal reason groups of 3 or more benefit from the longer session.

Top tips for being a good witness, and top ways to be a poor one. A condensed checklist drawn from the book, covering pace, clarity, listening to the question actually asked, avoiding speculation, knowing when to say “I don’t recall”, managing the urge to argue, and recovering when a question lands badly.

Indicative session structures

4-hour session (1 to 2 delegates)

Full-day session (up to 6 delegates)

Online full-day sessions follow the same shape but split across two consecutive half-days (typically 9:00 to 12:30 on day one for the foundational content, and 9:00 to 12:30 on day two for the mock cross-examinations and debrief), with a 15-minute screen break in each half-day.

Why this witness familiarisation training is different

Most witness familiarisation training in the UK is delivered by barristers or solicitors with practising experience. That is the baseline standard set by Bond Solon, the dominant national provider, and by Legal Experience Training.

What sets this training apart is the additional perspective of having sat as a judge. I have not only cross-examined and represented witnesses across more than 1,000 cases over twenty-five years, I have also evaluated their evidence as a fee-paid judge in thousands of contested matters. That dual perspective changes the training. Most familiarisation trainers can explain what cross-examining barristers will try to do. I can explain that, and also explain what the decision-maker on the bench will actually think while it is happening. The two are different things, and the second is what determines whether the evidence is accepted.

My questioning approach has itself been examined in the High Court and Court of Appeal in Somerville v Nursing and Midwifery Council and was upheld as fair, appropriate, and legitimate. That case also makes me one of the few familiarisation trainers in the UK who has been a party to my own litigation: I know the experience of being a witness from the inside, not just from the outside.

The training is drawn from this combination of judicial assessment, advocacy experience, and lived experience as a party. Witnesses leave understanding not just what will happen, but why the structures exist, what decision-makers are looking for, and how to give evidence in a way that supports their own credibility.

What past clients say

“I would personally like to thank you so much for the professional way you handled the proceedings. You recognised all key points and thoroughly brought forward a fair, clearly stepped and smooth hearing. You were understanding of my plight and remained neutral and objective throughout. I was really impressed with your knowledge of the case and the key issues that needed to be resolved, coupled with your passion and dedication to ensure a fair and just hearing. I am gratefully indebted to you, I can now move forward with positivity and hope.”

Party at a disciplinary hearing chaired by Robin

“Clear, focused and patient as a fact-finder dealing with a wide range of evidence. I feel the participants trusted that you were fair and open. It was a masterclass in advocacy and I learned so much.”

Annie Conboy

“You have a remarkable set of experiences.”

Professor Richard Susskind OBE, author of Tomorrow’s Lawyers and Online Courts and the Future of Justice

See all client testimonials.

Who this witness familiarisation training is for

The session is suitable for senior managers, directors, professionals and individuals required to give evidence in civil, commercial, criminal, employment tribunal, regulatory, or arbitral proceedings; expert witnesses preparing for cross-examination on a report or in a forthcoming hearing; employees of organisations involved in litigation or regulatory proceedings; respondents in professional regulatory hearings (medical, dental, nursing, legal, financial services, teaching); witnesses giving evidence in workplace investigations and disciplinary hearings; and individuals who have given evidence before and want to refresh or sharpen their approach.

The training is suitable both for first-time witnesses and for those who have given evidence previously and want a structured update. Depth of coverage is adjusted to the experience of the participants.

For law firms and in-house legal teams

Law firms regularly instruct external familiarisation trainers for their clients and for expert witnesses. The rationale is set out clearly in R v Momodou: those running the familiarisation should have no personal knowledge of the matters in issue. Externalising the trainer protects the integrity of the witness’s evidence and protects the firm from any allegation of coaching.

This service is designed to fit into that pattern. I take instructions directly from law firms, from in-house legal counsel, and from organisations supporting their employees through proceedings. Sessions can be arranged at short notice where a hearing date is approaching, and I can normally deliver in person or online within 7 to 14 days of instruction. For matters where the witness is overseas, online delivery in the appropriate time zone is available.

The 1-2 delegate format is best where a single key witness needs focused individual attention. The up-to-6 full-day format suits multiple witnesses in the same proceedings (for example, several executives in a commercial dispute, several clinicians in a regulatory hearing, or a group of employees called by the same party to a tribunal). At full 6-delegate capacity, the per-witness cost is £833 + VAT in person or £666 + VAT online, materially below the market rate for individual senior-barrister sessions.

What every delegate receives

Every delegate receives a copy of Winning in the Witness Box: A Practical Familiarisation Guide to Giving Evidence. The 218 page book covers everything in the session, with additional detail on civil, criminal, tribunal, arbitral and regulatory proceedings, and includes a glossary of legal terms most witnesses encounter for the first time. Many delegates find it useful to read in advance of the session, but it is not required.

In addition to the book, delegates receive a session handout summarising the key points and a checklist for the days leading up to the hearing.

How much does witness familiarisation training cost?

Witness familiarisation training in the UK is typically delivered on a bespoke basis, priced per session or per witness. Major providers (Bond Solon, Legal Experience Training, Jacob LSS) do not publish their rates. Anecdotally, individual witness sessions with a senior barrister or solicitor trainer fall between £1,500 and £3,000 per witness. Group sessions are usually priced per witness with a discount for volume.

This service is priced as a fixed fee for the group size, with a 20% discount for online delivery:

In-person: – £2,995 + VAT for 1 or 2 delegates (4-hour session). £2,995 for one delegate, £1,498 per delegate if two attend. – £4,995 + VAT for up to 6 delegates (full day). £833 per delegate at full capacity, scaling up for smaller groups.

Live online: – £2,395 + VAT for 1 or 2 delegates (4-hour session). £2,395 for one delegate, £1,198 per delegate if two attend. – £3,995 + VAT for up to 6 delegates (two consecutive half-days). £666 per delegate at full capacity.

At the full-capacity online rate, the per-delegate cost is below the market standard for individual senior-barrister sessions, while still delivering a trainer with judicial as well as advocacy experience. For comparison, a single day at trial defending a contested witness who has given poor evidence can add tens of thousands of pounds in additional legal fees.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between witness familiarisation and witness coaching?

Witness familiarisation explains the process of giving evidence: courtroom procedure, the role of the witness, how questioning works, how credibility is assessed. It does not involve any discussion of the substance of the witness’s evidence. It is encouraged by the Bar Council and the Court of Appeal. Witness coaching, by contrast, involves rehearsing or advising on the actual evidence to be given. It is improper and may be unlawful. The distinction is set out in R v Momodou [2005] EWCA Crim 177 and in the Bar Council Guidance on Witness Preparation (October 2005).

Will the mock cross-examination touch on my real evidence?

No. Any mock cross-examination during the session uses a neutral, fictitious case study unconnected to the witness’s real proceedings. The case study is selected to avoid any factual or thematic similarity to the real issues, and is shared in advance with the instructing law firm where one is involved.

Why is the full-day session capped at 6 delegates?

The cap reflects the time needed to give each delegate an individual mock cross-examination and proper feedback. Six delegates fits within the working day with room for the foundational content. Larger groups can be accommodated by splitting into two sessions on different days; contact me for a tailored quote.

How quickly can a session be arranged?

In most cases, within 7 to 14 days of instruction for both in-person and online delivery. For urgent matters where the hearing is imminent, delivery can usually be brought forward, including evening or weekend slots where necessary.

How long before the hearing should the session take place?

Most familiarisation providers recommend 3 to 6 weeks before the hearing. That gives the witness time to reflect on the session and to prepare without being so far in advance that the learning fades. Earlier sessions are useful where the witness wants to understand the process while their statement is still being drafted.

Is the training suitable for expert witnesses?

Yes. Expert witnesses face a particular form of cross-examination focused on the methodology and conclusions of their report. The training can be adjusted for expert witnesses, with the mock cross-examination structured around a neutral expert report rather than a witness statement of fact. Note that factual and expert witnesses are usually trained in separate sessions.

What types of proceedings does the training cover?

Civil and commercial litigation, criminal proceedings, employment tribunals, professional regulatory hearings, arbitration (including international arbitration), and workplace investigations. The forum-specific elements of the session are tailored to the type of hearing the witness will be appearing in.

What is the cancellation policy?

Full refund for cancellations made 7 or more days before the session. 50% refund for cancellations 3 to 6 days before. No refund for cancellations within 72 hours, but the session can be rescheduled at no charge to a new date within 60 days, subject to availability.

Do you work outside London?

Yes. In-person training is available throughout England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with travel within mainland UK included in the fee. International in-person delivery is by arrangement with travel and accommodation at cost. Online delivery is available worldwide.

Take the next step

If you would like to arrange witness familiarisation training for yourself, your client, your witness, or your team, please get in touch.

Call 020 4538 0246, email robin@robinsomerville.co.uk, request a quote for witness familiarisation training, or book a discovery call directly.

Related services

If your organisation also needs to build internal investigation capability, my workplace and corporate investigation training programme covers the full investigation process from planning through to report writing. For organisations needing external support rather than internal training, I also conduct independent workplace investigations and act as independent grievance and disciplinary chair for complex and sensitive matters. For commercial and workplace mediation, see my mediation service.