Event Wrap-up: Practical Advocacy Weekend

a High Point for Emerging Advocates!

The Law Society of Western Australia’s Young Lawyers Committee hosted the annual Practical Advocacy Weekend on 11 and 12 September at the Children’s Court of Western Australia. This bespoke intensive course provided 30 practitioners with immersive practice, over two days, by learning from the best and observing peers within small groups. Imagine a real court room, eight highly respected judges and barristers and a voice coach. The context was primed for an exceptional learning experience, including personalised feedback on advocacy skills, case analysis, the use of the voice as an important tool, and overall performance. A weekend is a very short time to cover the basics of such an enormous area of practice. The aim of the Advocacy Weekend is to provide participants with an opportunity to improve their advocacy skills in a non-threatening environment. The workshop method is intended to let participants set their own goals with each exercise, and coaches providing constructive criticism to develop their skills.

The weekend was wrapped up with a well-deserved and relaxed lunch at The Shoe Bar in Yagan Square. Thank you to the YLC volunteers for their assistance over the weekend, the course would not be possible without you. Thank you to each of the coaches and judges who so generously gave their time and shared their expertise: Bill Keane, Paul Yovich SC, The Hon Justice Stephen Hall, The Hon Justice Edwin Corboy, Her Hon Judge Carmel Barbagallo SC, His Hon Judge Gary Massey, Her Hon Judge Linda Petrusa SC, His Hon Judge Alan Troy and Henry Jackson SC, who volunteered their precious time to guide and educate our participants. Thank you also to the incredible voice coach, Julia Moody, who gives people the edge and a new-found respect for their voice.

Highlights of the weekend:

“All of the feedback from the judicial officers and coaches etc was outstanding. I learned so much and feel much more confident now”. “Being grouped with my colleagues. Spending time with the coaches/experts and getting feedback which is priceless” “Good to hear and watch your own advocacy with a coach so you can see and hear your distracting habits while appearing before a court, to become more conscious of those habits and make changes to address them” “The weekend was an invaluable experience not only to learn and improve my advocacy skills but it was also a wonderful opportunity to meet the judicial officers and to connect with my colleagues from different firms and practice areas” “Coaches each had different preferences for the style of advocacy so it was useful getting each of their different views” “Brilliant. Would return again next year and do it all the same”.