Birmingham barrister Simon Ward has been mentor to a team of budding barristers who are set to do battle in a national competition.

Mr Ward, who is based at St Philips Chambers, has been guiding 15 year 10 students from Steiner Academy Hereford, who will be competing in the national final of the Citizenship Foundation’s Bar Mock Trial competition.

Taking place at Edinburgh’s Court of Session on Saturday March 28, the team will face rivals from 15 other schools across the UK as they attempt to win the title.

The Steiner team won local and regional heats at the Queen Elizabeth Courts in Birmingham in November.

To take part in the final all schools have had to learn the scenarios of two legal cases.

The first involves the possession of drugs and second, the intent to steal.

Students take the roles of lawyers, witnesses and court staff.

Throughout the competition students engage with the subtleties of justice and the challenge of the golden thread in British law that any person is innocent until proven guilty.

Adjudicating on the day is Lord Leveson and presenting the prizes is Robert “Judge” Rinder.

The team from Steiner got to meet Herefordshire’s High Sheriff and Deputy Lord Lieutenant Major Patrick Darling in the run-up to the final.

He said: “It was a pleasure to meet the team. They have a polite manner, inquiring minds and incisive logic - which I am sure will add up to a winning combination.”

Mr Ward is set to fly to Edinburgh for the final to support the Steiner team.