Advocacy: A Practical Guide

2. Revised Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-0-85490-313-9
Verlag: Wildy, Simmonds and Hill Publishing

Buch, Englisch, 360 Seiten, Format (B × H): 218 mm x 139 mm, Gewicht: 450 g

Advocacy: A Practical Guide is an invaluable reference for those who wish to learn essential advocacy skills as well as those seeking to make their advocacy more effective.

With a focus on civil advocacy and arbitration, the book provides guidance on a range of matters from undertaking case analysis and overcoming nerves to handling witnesses and making trial speeches. It does not claim to be prescriptive and say this is the only way. The book is intended to be easy to read and absorb and is designed to give the reader confidence and support.

For this second edition, the text has been fully updated by Chris Taylor, and a new chapter has been included on online advocacy.

Zielgruppe

For those who wish to learn advocacy skills and those who want to improve their current skills, including solicitors seeking higher rights of audience, arbitration lawyers, junior barristers and LPC students.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Lyons, Peter

Taylor, Chris

Fachgebiete

• Rechtswissenschaften Ausländisches Recht Common Law (UK, USA, Australien u.a.)
• Rechtswissenschaften Berufs- und Gebührenrecht freie Berufe Rechtsanwälte und Notare

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Preface to the Second Edition

Foreword to the First Edition

About the Authors

1  PRESENTATION SKILLS

1  Substance

1.1  Knowledge of subject

1.2  Structure

1.3  Tell a story

1.4  Simple words

1.5  Picture words

1.6  Putting it into practice

2  Style

2.1  Beating nerves

2.2  Practice

2.3  Stance and gestures

2.4  Timing

2.5  Sounding convinced

2.6  Paying attention

2.7  The digital age

2.8  Sender – message – receiver

3  Presentation skills: checklist

3.1  Preparation

3.2  Delivery

2  THE QUALITIES OF A GOOD ADVOCATE

1  Integrity

2  A good voice

3  Presence

4  A quick adaptable mind

5  Knowledge of human nature

6  Courage

7  Well-mannered and in control of temper

8  Knowledge of the facts and the law

9  Norman Birkett’s checklist

3  PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

1  The advocate’s duty

2  Rules of conduct

3  Your instructions

4  The advocate’s view

5  Bringing the profession into disrepute

6  Courtesy in court

7  Professional conduct: checklist

4  CASE ANALYSIS

1  The facts

2  Parties

3  Evidence

4  Conclusions

5  Case theory

6  Cross-examination

7  How to analyse a case

8  The blitz

9  The edit

9.1  Fact one: C is an antique dealer

9.2  Fact two: C was talked into it by D

9.3  Fact three: Worthington thinks the sculpture is a fake

9.4  Fact four: Sculpture is worth £3,000

9.5  Fact five: C offered £820,000

9.6  Last fact: D described it as Assyrian

10  Forming the case theory

11  The blitz and its uses

12  Why a case theory is important

13  Preparation and proof

14  Case analysis: checklist

5  INTERIM APPLICATIONS (MOTIONS)

1  Preparing the submission

1.1  Structure

1.2  Know all of the facts

1.3  Know the procedural history

1.4  Know where your documents are

1.5  Anticipate your opponent’s arguments

1.6  Find out about the judge

1.7  Research the law and the judge’s powers

1.8  Have submissions on costs ready: win or lose

2  Making the submission

2.1  Address the court appropriately

2.2  Announcing your appearance

2.3  Outline the application and the requested relief

2.4  Structure your submission

2.5  Make the judge’s job easier

2.6  Respond directly to questions

2.7  Be flexible and make concessions if appropriate

2.8  Be courteous and professional

2.9  Make a note

2.10  Read the judge

2.11  Using a skeleton

2.12  Reply if necessary

2.13  After the decision

2.14  Knowledge of the rules

3  Interim applications: checklist

3.1  Preparing the submission

3.2  Making the submission

3.3  After the decision

6  ONLINE ADVOCACY

1  Presenting online

2  Set-up

2.1  Remove distractions

2.2  Choose your location

2.3  Lighting

2.4  Your appearance on screen

2.5  Virtual backgrounds

2.6  Multiple screens

2.7  Test your set-up

3  Hearing preparation

3.1  Procedural considerations

3.2  Bundles

3.3  Witnesses

3.4  Practical considerations

4  At the hearing

4.1  Etiquette

4.2  Handling the camera

4.3  Gestures and body language

4.4  Voice control

4.5  Referring to notes

4.6  Use of visuals

5  Online advocacy: checklist

5.1  Set-up

5.2  Hearing preparation

5.3  At the hearing

7  WRITTEN ADVOCACY

1  Madman, architect, builder, judge

2  Constructing the sentences

2.1  Lord Denning

2.2  George Orwell

2.3  Bertrand Russell

3  Statements of case and points of claim

4  Witness statements

5  And finally

8  SKELETON ARGUMENTS

1  Skeleton arguments: checklist

1.1  Purpose

1.2  Technical content

1.3  Referring to authorities

1.4  Formal matters

1.5  Style

9  PREPARING WITNESSES

1  Encouraging false evidence

2  Coaching

2.1  England

2.2  Australia

2.3  United States

3  Expert witnesses

4  How judges see witnesses

5  Contemporary documents

6  Practical matters

10  EXAMINATION-IN-CHIEF OR DIRECT EXAMINATION

1  No leading questions

2  Start your questions with the words ‘what’, ‘when’, ‘where’, ‘why’, ‘how’, ‘who’, ‘please describe’, ‘tell the court’

3  Simple words and short questions

4  Style

5  Arrange your facts

6  Sources of evidence

7  Controlling the witness

8  What happened next?

9  Know the answer

10  Avoid compound questions

11  Listen to the answer

12  Take the sting out of the cross-examination

13  Avoid gremlins

14  End strongly

11  CROSS-EXAMINATION

1  The purpose of cross-examination

2  Showing evidence to be unreliable

2.1  Mistaken, lazy or unprepared

2.2  Incompetent

2.3  Negligent

2.4  Lacking authority

2.5  Unqualified

2.6  Speculating or exaggerating

2.7  Biased or defensive

2.8  Hiding something

2.9  A combination of the above objectives

2.10  Previous behaviour in any of the above

3  Preparing to cross-examine

4  Taking facts from other witness statements

5  Is the cross-examination necessary?

6  Putting your case

7  Delivery

8  Know the answer or be sure it won’t hurt you

9  Assert; don’t ask

10  One fact per question

11  Don’t argue with the witness

12  Making comments is wrong

13  Cutting off answers

14  Questions based on controversial assumptions

15  Questions on stereotypes

16  Vulnerable witnesses

17  Controlling the witness

18  Causing the problem

19  Getting the answer you want

20  More serious offences

21  Refreshing a witness’s memory in cross-examination

22  Impeachment

23  The talkative witness

24  When to ask open questions

25  The risks of open questions, arguments and conclusions

26  Don’t be pompous

27  The ‘Did you?’ question

28  Collateral questions

29  Cross-examination on documents

30  How the cross-examination fits into closing

31  How to finish

32  Cross-examination: checklist

32.1  Preparation

32.2  Delivery

32.3  Style

12  RE-EXAMINATION

1  Re-examination: checklist

13  EXPERT WITNESSES

1  Direct examination of the expert

1.1  Introduction and qualifications

1.2  Method

1.3  Opinion

2  Cross-examination

2.1  Preparation

2.2  Your opponent’s expert

2.3  The opposing expert’s method

2.4  The cross-examination itself

2.5  Case study: cross-examination of the claimant’s expert

2.6  Case study: cross-examination of the defendant’s expert

3  Re-examination

14  ADDRESSES

1  Striking the right note

2  The opening address

3  The closing address

15  SUBMISSIONS OF LAW

1  Preparation

1.1  Know the court and its powers

1.2  Know the facts

1.3  Know the law

1.4  Cite authorities properly

1.5  Know where your documents are

1.6  Anticipate your opponent’s arguments

1.7  Anticipate what the court might ask

2  Structure

3  Argument dilution

4  Know what order the court should make

5  Method

5.1  The psychology of a judge

5.2  Point-first advocacy

5.3  Say why you should win; not why the other side should lose

5.4  Pick only the best points to argue

5.5  Don’t read

5.6  Keep to the point

6  Answering questions

6.1  Answer questions directly

6.2  How to answer

6.3  The purpose of the question

6.4  If you don’t know the answer

7  Your style – impact

8  Skilful advocates make it simple

9  Credibility

10  When to reply

11  Does oral advocacy make a difference?

12  Conclusion

13  Addresses and submissions of law: checklist

13.1  Nerves

13.2  Structure

13.3  Notes

13.4  Stance and gestures

13.5  Delivery

APPENDICES

1  Case Study: Cavendish v Downham

2  Further Reading

Acknowledgements

Index

Über Autor(innen)

Taylor, Chris
Chris Taylor is an English solicitor and legal skills trainer. He qualified in 1999 and spent many years as a commercial litigator at Addleshaw Goddard and later Eversheds. In 2005 he assisted Peter Lyons to establish CPD Training (UK) Limited, which he continues to run today.

Lyons, Peter
Peter Lyons was an Australian barrister and solicitor. He delivered advocacy, litigation and negotiation skills courses to barristers, solicitors and patent attorneys, including programmes for many of the top City law firms in London. His company, CPD Training (UK) Limited (www.cpdtraining.net), was founded in 2005. Peter Lyons died in 2023.