The heart of a barrister’s job is advocacy – persuading others orally or in writing.
Advocacy experience is therefore crucial for anyone considering a career at the Bar.
There are lots of different forms of advocacy available for students to try, from
debating and mooting, public speaking to pro bono. We hear from today’s guests
about all these types of advocacy experience, what their benefits are and how you can start to demonstrate your flair for advocacy. We also learn about the hidden opportunities for advocacy all around you. And what if you are battling nerves? We hear some tips from the pros.
Guests in order of appearance
James Wakefield: barrister, leader of the Council of the Inns of Court and dean of the Inns of Court College of Advocacy
Andrew Hochhauser QC: silk and arbitrator at Essex Court and Middle Temple
Bencher https://essexcourt.com/barrister/andrew-hochhauser-qc/
Alexander Robson: barrister at Littleton Chambers, co-author of The Path to
Pupillage, Harold G. Fox Scholar http://www.littletonchambers.com/barrister/alexander-robson/
Benet Brandreth QC: silk at 11 South Square, rhetoric coach and advocacy trainer
https://www.11southsquare.com/barristers/benet-brandreth/ and
https://www.benetbrandreth.com/ and on twitter as @benetbrandreth
Michael Harwood: barrister and President of MTYBA
https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-harwood-24273342/?originalSubdomain=uk and on twitter @mi_harwood
Matt Ahluwalia: barrister and Justice First Fellow at the Public Law Project
https://jff.thelegaleducationfoundation.org/fellow/matthew-ahluwalia/
Useful Links
Debating:
https://www.cus.org/members/debating/what-debating
https://www.greatdebaters.co.uk/
and for school students: https://www.parliament.uk/education/teaching-resources-
lesson-plans/get-debating-/ and https://www.esu.org/our-work/schools-mace
English Speaking Union: https://www.esu.org/
Mooting:
For details of the ESU – Essex Court National Mooting Competition:
https://nationalmooting.org/
And for the Rosamund Smith Mooting Competition:
https://www.middletemple.org.uk/members/student-information-and-services/mooting
For other mooting information
https://lawbore.net/mooting
https://global.oup.com/ukhe/mooting/whatismooting/?cc=gb&lang=en&
https://www.law.ox.ac.uk/current-students/mooting-oxford/mooting-what-it-and-why-take-part
https://www.chambersstudent.co.uk/where-to-start/newsletter/what-is-mooting
https://www.theguardian.com/law/2017/jun/28/advice-for-law-students-how-to-moot
Pro Bono:
General Advice: https://www.middletemple.org.uk/members/student-information-and-services/advice-on-pro-bono-work
Free Representation Unit or ‘FRU’: http://www.thefru.org.uk/
Z2K: https://www.z2k.org/
National Centre for Domestic Violence: https://www.ncdv.org.uk/
Advice for setting up a Law Clinic at your university:
https://www.lawworks.org.uk/solicitors-and-volunteers/get-involved/law-schools-and-student-pro-bono
Some books on advocacy:
The Art of the Advocate by Richard du Cann: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Art-
Advocate-Penguin-Law/dp/0140179313
Devil’s Advocate by Iain Morley: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Devils-Advocate-Iain-Morley/dp/0414023226/ref=pd_lpo_sbs_14_t_0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=GRED
V8JJHVSST1FZ04XS
365 Daily Advocacy Tips by Leslie Cuthbert: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Daily-
Advocacy-Tips-Leslie-Cuthbert/dp/178043832X
Other useful resources:
Council of the Inns of Court https://www.coic.org.uk/
Justice First Fellowships: https://jff.thelegaleducationfoundation.org/
Public Law Project: https://publiclawproject.org.uk/
Bristol University Law Clinic: http://www.bristol.ac.uk/law/law-clinic/
