Legal writing heavyweight Ross Guberman joins host Bibi Badejo and shares his recommendations for upgrading writing skills. A renowned author on legal writing and his books Point Made: How to Write Like the Nation’s Top Advocates and Point Taken: How to Write Like the World’s Greatest Judges have been praised as a “tour de force” and “a must for the library of veteran litigators” and the best book by far about judicial writing. Ross is a former attorney, and president of Legal Writing Pro, an advanced legal writing training and consulting firm. He trains federal judges in the United States and has conducted thousands of workshops globally for law firms, judges, agencies, corporations, and associations. Ross is also the founder of BriefCatch, an editing tool specifically made for legal writing. Its devoted users include lawyers, firms, judges, and courts around the world, while BriefCatch was named one of TechnoLawyer's Top 10 Legal Tech Products of the year. Listen to the episode for details of how to enter a competition to win a 3-month licence of BriefCatch.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Voice coach Lucy Cornell joins host Bibi Badejo to discuss how trial lawyers can use their voice for influence and impact in the court room. Lucy is the CEO and founder of Cornell Voice Advisory, coaching professionals to develop the use of their voice for influence and impact. Her clients include CEOs and senior executives of blue chip companies such as McKinsey, IBM, Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, as well as lawyers and politicians. Lucy leads an international voice and performance coaching team for advocacy courses run by the Australian Bar Association and the General Council of the Bar of South Africa. She also spoke about performance skills for the International Advocacy Training Council inaugural conference in Malaysia in 2015. Lucy is one of 200 Linklater trained voice teachers in the world and has extensive academic and practical experience training with voice tutors from Royal Shakespeare Company (UK) and as an actor and teacher at Shakespeare and Company (USA). See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Professor Jo Delahunty KC joins host Bibi Badejo to talk about how she approaches and wins her cases, many of which appear unwinnable. Jo was called to the Bar in 1986, took silk in 2006, and became a Recorder in 2009. She was part of the legal team that acted for 77 families in the Hillsborough Inquests; and successfully established that the flawed medical response led to avoidable loss of life. Jo was appointed as Gresham College Professor of Law from 2016- 2020, and made Emeritus Gresham Professor of Law, Gresham Fellow, and a Gresham Trustee in 2020. Jo specialises in contentious cases involving complex medical evidence and catastrophic injuries, the death of a child, child sex abuse, cases of fabricated or induced injury, and ritualised abuse. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In part 2 of this two-part interview, Jerry Blackwell and Steve Schleicher continue their discussion with host Bibi Badejo and reflect on the techniques they used to successfully prosecute in State of Minnesota v Derek Michael Chauvin. Jerry is the founding partner, CEO and chair of Blackwell Burke and is an award winning corporate defence lawyer. He is also the founder of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers. Steve has also won several awards. He is a partner of Maslon LLP and his work focuses on high stakes criminal and civil litigation, government and internal investigations, and appellate practices. Please subscribe to The Advocacy Podcast and visit www.theadvocacypodcast.com for more information and additional resources. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the first episode of Season 2, Jerry Blackwell and Steve Schleicher discuss the prosecution of Derek Chauvin with host Bibi Badejo. In the first of this two-part interview they discuss their careers as advocates and break down their strategies for preparing the case. Jerry is the founding partner, CEO and chair of Blackwell Burke and is an award-winning corporate defence lawyer. He is also the founder of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers. Steve has also won several awards. He is a partner of Maslon LLP and his work focuses on high stakes criminal and civil litigation, government and internal investigations, and appellate practices. Please subscribe to The Advocacy Podcast and visit www.theadvocacypodcast.com for more information and additional resources. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the final episode of Season 1, James Rapley KC joins host Bibi Badejo to discuss written submissions and appellate advocacy.   James Rapley KC practices from Bridgeside Chambers in Christchurch, New Zealand. He was appointed a King's Counsel in 2018, and specialises in criminal defence litigation, across serious fraud, drug, murder, and sexual crimes, together with regulatory prosecution work. Together with Judge Tony Willy, James co-authored a central text in New Zealand’s legal literature entitled ‘Advocacy’, and teaches trial advocacy at several key universities in the region.   Please subscribe to The Advocacy Podcast and visit www.theadvocacypodcast.com  for more information and additional resources.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bibi Badejo is joined by Allison Summers KC who shares how we can close our cases boldly and persuasively.   Allison specialises in criminal defence work and takes on cases involving serious violence and sexual cases, including domestic killings, parricide, infanticide and somnambulism (sleep walking). She is the go-to King’s Counsel when there are difficult or unusual features in a case and she draws on her experience as an Assistant Coroner in cases involving complex medical issues.   Please subscribe to The Advocacy Podcast and visit www.theadvocacypodcast.com for more information and additional resources.      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Justin Kahn discusses how to use visual tools to prepare your case and to communicate complex ideas in simple, impactful ways. He recommends useful apps and technology that can be utilised and explains how neuroscience and magic have combined to influence his approach to effective persuasion.  Justin is based in South Carolina and specialises in catastrophic personal injury matters and various kinds of complex litigation. Justin is AV rated and is board certified in medical malpractice by the American Board of Professional Liability Attorneys where he also serves on the board. He is also board certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a civil trial advocate and in civil pretrial practice advocacy. For over 20 years, Justin has written the South Carolina Rules of Civil Procedure Annotated and the South Carolina Rules of Evidence. Further to this, Justin is an adjunct professor at the Charleston School of Law where he teaches civil pre-trial practice, and writes and speaks nationally on topics including procedure, advocacy, technology, evidence and persuasion.   Please subscribe to The Advocacy Podcast and visit www.theadvocacypodcast.com  for more information and additional resources.    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Anesta Weekes KC joins host Bibi Badejo to discuss the importance of preparation and having a sound case theory. Anesta Weekes KC was called to the Bar in 1981, and in 1999, was appointed both Queen’s Counsel and Recorder (part-time judge). Anesta is recognised for her work prosecuting and defending, acting for professionals in disciplinary tribunals, in a number of major national inquiries, including the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry.  She also specialises in Privy Council work, dealing with both civil and criminal appeals originating in Bermuda, Bahamas, Montserrat and Antigua. Anesta is also an experienced advocacy trainer and serves on the International Committee of the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA). She regularly trains advocates in the UK and within the Commonwealth jurisdictions (including the Caribbean region, South Africa and Zimbabwe). Please subscribe to The Advocacy Podcast and visit www.theadvocacypodcast.com  for more information and additional resources.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rex Parris, a personal injury litigation specialist and Mayor of Lancaster, California, discusses the neurology of the courtroom and tools of persuasion. Topics include the impact of cognitive science and neuro-linguistic programming, the importance of continuous learning in becoming a trial lawyer, the concept of free will, overcoming fear and anxiety, incorporating physicality in communication, the power of metaphors in shaping jury perception, and practical tips to improve advocacy.