David Wurtzel was Called to the Bar by Middle Temple and was in practise for 27 years, largely doing crime.

His dedication to the cause of good advocacy began by becoming an early trainer for his Inn, and he continues to train on the pupillage and new practitioner courses as well as delivering the lecture to pupils on vulnerable witnesses.

When statutory special measures came ‘on stream’ in July 2002, he authored the first article on it in Archbold News. Since then he has published numerous articles on vulnerable witnesses including in Criminal Law Review and Counsel magazine of which he was consultant editor for six years.

During the latter time he attended Bar Council and the General Management Committee of Bar Council. He was a contributing author to Vulnerable People and the Criminal Justice System (OUP). In 2003 he became a Consultant in the Continuing Professional Development Department at City, University of London. Almost immediately he helped to devise and deliver the first legal training course for Registered Intermediaries.

He continued to co-deliver such a course for 12 years together with co-authoring two editions of the Registered Intermediary Procedural Guidance Manual. In addition he delivered training to solicitors and the police and was the external assessor for the Crown Prosecution Service crown advocate programme. He further devised and helped to deliver the first training to judges on how to assess advocacy on a criteria basis for a proposed quality assurance scheme.

He has been involved in The Advocate’s Gateway since its inception. David is a Bencher of Middle Temple and a door tenant of Red Lion Chambers. He is a compulsive theatre-goer and chairs the events committee of the Decorative Arts Society.