13 03, 2013

WRITING SKILLS FOR LAW STUDENTS

By |March 13th, 2013|Bryan Garner, Jim McElhaney, Seattle University Law School, speaking, Writing|0 Comments

At Least Don’t Teach Bad Writing HabitsLaw schools should focus on producing professional communicators – lawyers who are effective writers and speakers. Bryan A. Garner’s column for this month’s ABA Journal is entitled, “Why Lawyers Can’t Write” with the subtitle: “Science has something to do with it, and law schools are partly to blame.” Garner’s [...]

7 01, 2013

THE CRITICAL LAWYERING SKILL

By |January 7th, 2013|oratory, persuasion, Seattle University Law School, speaking, teaching techniques|1 Comment

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATIONThis coming Tuesday Seattle University will introduce a new course that is designed to familiarize students with practical aspects of practicing law in order to prepare them to start work either in a firm, public employment, or in a solo practice. The intersession course (January 8 -10, 2013) is Essential Lawyering Skills: Persuasive Communication; [...]

27 05, 2012

MONTANA’S ADVANCED TRIAL ADVOCACY COURSE

By |May 27th, 2012|Montana Law School, speaking, Trial Tips|0 Comments

On the Road in MissoulaJust returned to Seattle after serving on the faculty for the 24th Advanced Trial Advocacy course at the University of Montana Law School in Missoula. Pictured here are three key people, without whom there would be no trial school. From right to left, they are the law school’s Dean, Irma Russell, [...]

17 09, 2011

SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS – TRIAL ADVOCACY AND EVIDENCE SKILLS

By |September 17th, 2011|Evidence Skills, speaking, Trial Tips|0 Comments

Successful Trial and Evidence Skills and Strategies PresentationsSOUTH LAKE TAHOE, NEVADA Been on the road this week. On Wednesday, we were on the top floor of Harvey’s – from there the view of Lake Tahoe is spectacular. My subject for the afternoon’s half-day presentation is “Premier Trial Skills and Strategies.” Executive Director for the Nevada [...]

3 04, 2009

LAWYER LINCOLN’S LESSONS: SINCERITY & TRIAL ADVOCACY

By |April 3rd, 2009|Lincoln's Lessons, oratory, persuasion, speaking|5 Comments

Lesson 2 – Sincerity is What Matters in Trial AdvocacyThe keys to trial persuasion are to be sincere and to be able to project that sincerity. Sincerity, more than eloquence, a good appearance or any other attribute, is what really matters in trial advocacy. Sincerity in the trial context means that the lawyer believes the [...]

21 01, 2009

ORATORY – ADVOCACY LESSONS FROM OBAMA

By |January 21st, 2009|closing argument, Obama, opening statement, oratory, persuasion, speaking|1 Comment

MAKING A GOOD SPEECH TO THE JURY (OR TO ANY AUDIENCE)In his inaugural day Washington Post article entitled “Obama’s way with words,” Henry Allen states that “Obama is an orator, a rare thing in a time when educated people — a lot of them Obama supporters — have been taught to distrust old-fashioned eloquence.” Rare [...]

16 01, 2009

YOUR OWN WORST CRITIC – PRETRIAL, TRIAL & APPELLATE ADVOCACY TRAINING

By |January 16th, 2009|critiquing, nervousness, Seattle University Law School, speaking, teaching techniques, video review|1 Comment

VIDEO REVIEW TIPSEach of us is our own worst critic. That is why a video review is such a valuable tool in pretrial, trial and appellate advocacy training. For that matter, a video review is an excellent aid for any education in public speaking. When an attorney or law student watches a video of their [...]

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