Bar Manual: Advocacy 21st ed

Advocacy provides a highly practical introduction to the skills and techniques required to deliver submissions and applications in the courts. It covers the full range of courtroom transactions from opening and closing cases, to conducting examination-in-chief, cross-examination, and questioning witnesses.

• Providing practical guidance on all typical courtroom transactions, the manual ensures the trainee barrister is fully equipped with the skills required to undertake successful advocacy in courts and tribunals
• A variety of 'how-to-do-it' guides familiarize novice advocates with the operation of advocacy in both civil and criminal courts
• Illustrations of specific questioning techniques show how to successfully conduct examination-in-chief and cross-examination
• A chapter on drafting skeleton arguments shows novice advocates how to construct strong, persuasive arguments in support of their case
• Diversity and inclusion principles are fully recognised within the coverage of ethics, etiquette, and cross-cultural communication, enabling students to develop the skills necessary to practice with consideration of these important issues
• The significance of video calling platforms and home working is acknowledged throughout, ensuring students' understanding of process is compatible with modern working practices
• Also available as an e-book with functionality, navigation features, and links that offer extra learning support

table of content

Part I: Introduction

1:Introduction

2:The qualities of the advocate

3:Ethics, etiquette, and cross-cultural communication in the courtroom

Part II: The Basic Components for Application and Submissions

4:Recognising competence - advocacy skills criteria

5:Preparing for court

6:The content of your application

7:Structuring your application

8:Delivering your application

9:Persuasion

Part III: Preparing for Advocacy

10:Your voice and speech

11:Memory and recall

12:Note-taking

13:Modes of address

14:The advocate as storyteller

15:The course of a trial

Part IV: Opening and Closing a Case

16:Opening speeches

17:Closing speeches

Part V: Witnesses

18:The task ahead

19:Basic components for witness handling

20:Basic questioning skills

21:Examination-in-chief

22:Cross-examination

23:Re-examination

Part VI: How-to-do-it Guides

24:Using this Part of the manual

25:Skeleton arguments

26:Default judgments

27:Summary judgments

28:Interim payments

29:Applying for an injunction

30:Applications in the Chancery Division

31:The Companies Court

32:Possession cases

33:Applying for costs in a civil case

34:Employment Tribunals

35:Remands/adjournments

36:Bail application

37:Conducting a voir dire or 'trial within a trial'

38:Making a submission of no case to answer

39:Prosecuting a plea of guilty in the Crown Court

40:The plea in mitigation

Appendix: A criminal case: R v Heath