About the exam
Bar Training Civil Litigation Exam structure
An independent England and Wales study guide mapped to all 24 areas of the BSB Civil Litigation and Evidence syllabus, with the current two-paper centralised assessment structure and 120 review flashcards.
Issuer and path
Bar Training Civil Litigation Study Guide is administered through Bar Standards Board. Check official resources before booking, retesting, or relying on a stale requirement.
Civil Litigation and Evidence Centralised Assessment
90 scored + 0 pretest
The BSB Civil Litigation syllabus assessed across closed-book Paper 1 and open-book Paper 2; both papers cover all 24 syllabus areas.
Before the sitting
Confirm the applicable syllabus and White Book edition with your AETO, then check its delivery format, identification, adjustment and materials-check procedure. Do not assume that a supplement or loose revision sheet is permitted because it is legally current.
Official Outline Coverage Map
Coverage is mapped to official outline item counts so content depth can be checked without hard-coding a single exam.
| Topic | Official outline items | Your questions | Your flashcards | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. General Matters | 0 | 28 | 5 | Priority |
| 2. Limitation | 0 | 20 | 5 | Strong |
| 3. Pre-action Conduct | 0 | 25 | 5 | Priority |
| 4. Alternative Dispute Resolution: Adjudicative Options | 0 | 20 | 5 | Good |
| 5. Alternative Dispute Resolution: Non-Adjudicative Options | 0 | 20 | 5 | Strong |
| 6. Commencing Proceedings | 0 | 30 | 5 | Priority |
| 7. Parties | 0 | 20 | 5 | Strong |
| 8. Statements of Case | 0 | 25 | 5 | Priority |
| 9. Multiple Causes of Action, Counterclaims and Other Additional Claims | 0 | 22 | 5 | Good |
| 10. Amendment | 0 | 18 | 5 | Strong |
| 11. Further Information | 0 | 18 | 5 | Good |
| 12. Default Judgment and Summary Judgment | 0 | 25 | 5 | Priority |
| 13. Case Management, Sanctions, Striking Out and Discontinuance | 0 | 43 | 5 | Priority |
| 14. Disclosure and Inspection of Documents | 0 | 30 | 5 | Priority |
| 15. Interim Applications | 0 | 20 | 5 | Strong |
| 16. Interim Payments and Security for Costs | 0 | 20 | 5 | Good |
| 17. Interim Injunctions | 0 | 25 | 5 | Priority |
| 18. Settlement (Including Offers to Settle) | 0 | 32 | 5 | Priority |
| 19. Evidence of Fact | 0 | 25 | 5 | Strong |
| 20. Expert Evidence | 0 | 25 | 5 | Priority |
| 21. Civil Trial and Evidence | 0 | 28 | 5 | Priority |
| 22. Judgments, Orders and Enforcement | 0 | 30 | 5 | Priority |
| 23. Costs | 0 | 30 | 5 | Priority |
| 24. Appeals | 0 | 22 | 5 | Strong |
How to use this guide
How to study for BSB Civil Litigation
Prepare separately for closed-book recall and open-book application while keeping every step anchored to the exact syllabus version for your sitting.
1. Locate the procedural stage
Place the problem before issue, at service or pleadings, during case management, at an interim application, at trial or after judgment.
2. Identify the gateway and deadline
Find the correct Part, Practice Direction or syllabus authority and test jurisdiction, timing, notice, service and permission.
3. Apply discretion and evidence
Separate a mandatory rule from judicial discretion, then use the facts and evidence relevant to the published test.
4. State the order and consequence
Choose the procedurally available outcome and account for costs, sanctions, appeal, enforcement or the next case-management step.
1. General Matters
The overriding objective, the court's case-management duty, the general principles of ADR and the timing of ADR.
Key rules
Rule 1
The overriding objective directs the court to deal with cases justly and at proportionate cost, while parties must help the court further that objective.
Exam cue: Connect every proposed procedural step to justice, proportionality and efficient use of court resources.
Rule 2
Active case management includes identifying issues, controlling progress and cost, encouraging cooperation and helping parties settle, including through ADR.
Exam cue: Separate a party's freedom to choose whether to settle from the court's power to manage participation in an ADR process.
Rule 3
ADR advice requires a reasoned choice of process, appropriate timing, settlement authority and attention to the court's power to order ADR or impose consequences for unreasonable non-engagement.
Exam cue: Assess ADR suitability and timing using the dispute, information available, urgency, cost, relationship and enforceability needs.
Common traps
Treating the overriding objective as a free-standing excuse to disregard an express rule or order.
Prevention: Do not import a rule or commentary paragraph merely because the White Book cross-refers to it; the BSB syllabus expressly defines what is examinable.
Assuming the court can encourage but never order parties to participate in a non-court dispute-resolution process.
Prevention: Do not import a rule or commentary paragraph merely because the White Book cross-refers to it; the BSB syllabus expressly defines what is examinable.
Waiting until trial is imminent before considering whether an earlier ADR step could have narrowed or resolved the dispute.
Prevention: Do not import a rule or commentary paragraph merely because the White Book cross-refers to it; the BSB syllabus expressly defines what is examinable.
Memory anchors
Overriding objective
Deal with cases justly and at proportionate cost under CPR 1.1.
Party duty
The parties must help the court further the overriding objective.
Active case management
The court identifies issues, controls steps and cost, encourages cooperation and promotes settlement.
ADR selection
Match process, timing, cost, urgency, relationship and need for a binding outcome.
ADR consequences
Unreasonable refusal or silence can affect case management and costs; the court may also order ADR where lawful and proportionate.
Next best moves
Quick check-up
Use a short quiz to confirm the rule pattern is actually sticking.
Check-up Questions
A claimant proposes extensive disclosure on a modest debt claim because every document might be useful. Which case-management response best reflects the overriding objective?
One party repeatedly misses directions, delaying a trial needed urgently by both sides. Which feature of the overriding objective is most directly engaged?
Answer all questions to submit.
Next step personalized recommendations
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Official resources
Verify the details with the official sources
Use these links for eligibility, scheduling, handbook rules, and issuer updates. Our guide helps you study; official sources tell you what the testing partner currently requires.
BSB Bar Qualification Manual: Parts 3B and 3C
Current syllabus links, centralised-assessment format, permitted materials, exam dates, standard setting and candidate responsibilities.
BSB Civil Litigation syllabus 2026-2027
The latest 24-area syllabus based on the White Book 2026 and, for Paper 1 ADR material, the Jackson ADR Handbook, fourth edition.
BSB 2026-2027 syllabus summary of changes
Official transition summary identifying changes from the 2025-2026 syllabus and updated 2026 White Book references.
BSB Civil Litigation syllabus 2025-2026
The syllabus that remains valid for the August 2026 assessment, based on the White Book 2025.
BSB standard-setting guidance
Official explanation of criterion-referenced Angoff standard setting and translation of the pass standard for reporting.
Civil Procedure Rules
Official online CPR text. The BSB syllabus remains controlling for exactly which rules, Practice Directions and White Book commentary are examinable.
FAQ
Common Bar Training Civil Litigation questions
Is this an official BSB or AETO course?
No. This is an independent study resource. The BSB syllabus and Bar Qualification Manual are authoritative for centralised content and format; your AETO controls administration, adjustments, deferrals, mocks and local exam arrangements.
Which Civil Litigation syllabus applies to my sitting?
The BSB states that the 2025-2026 syllabus, based on the White Book 2025, applies to the December 2025, April 2026 and August 2026 assessments. The 2026-2027 syllabus, based on the White Book 2026, applies to December 2026, April 2027 and August 2027. This guide maps the latest 2026-2027 headings while flagging the transition for August 2026 candidates.
Are the two papers tied to different syllabus topics?
No. The current BSB syllabus says Paper 1 and Paper 2 both cover all topic areas of the extended syllabus. The difference is assessment mode: Paper 1 is closed book, while Paper 2 is open book and includes rolling case scenarios.
What can I take into Paper 2?
The BSB permits Volumes 1 and 2 of the White Book. They may be highlighted and annotated, and sticky page markers or annotated sticky notes may be used. Loose sheets or other additional material may not be interleaved or taken in. Confirm operational details with your AETO.
Can I take the Jackson ADR Handbook into either paper?
No. Paper 1 is closed book, even though the syllabus draws its ADR material from the Jackson ADR Handbook. Paper 2 permits the White Book materials specified by the BSB, not the Jackson handbook or additional loose materials.
Do I pass the two papers separately?
The BSB describes Civil Litigation as one assessment in two parts. You must attempt both parts and meet the pass standard to be Competent, and you cannot bank only one paper from an attempt. The raw pass standard is set for each sitting and translated for reporting.
Is the pass mark a fixed raw 60%?
No. The BSB uses the Angoff method to set a criterion-referenced raw pass standard based on paper difficulty. Results are then translated so the pass standard is reported to AETOs as 60%; that reported figure is not necessarily 60% of the raw questions.
Are the 601-question topic allocations official BSB weights?
No. The BSB publishes 24 examinable syllabus areas and the overall 50-plus-40-question format, but no scored question count for each topic. The allocations in this blueprint are a balanced Pass Harbor plan for future authoring, not official weights.