730-420 Advocacy

This subject has a quota of 48 students.

Legal Method and Reasoning; Principles of Public Law; Torts; Legal Theory or in each case their equivalents.

Students who have completed 730-385 Evidence or 730-457 Evidence and Proof will have first preference to enrol in this subject. Students who are taking 730-385 Evidence or 730-457 Evidence and Proof will have second preference to enrol in the subject.

This is a limited enrolment subject in which students will receive intensive exposure to and experience of the theory and practice of court room advocacy. The aim of this subject is to introduce students to practical aspects of litigation including the nature of the adversary process and the role of the advocate, to provide students with an introduction to basic advocacy skills in the context of a trial including presentation, strategies and conceptualisation of a case (how the case will be run), opening and closing address, examination in chief, cross examination, general communication skills; and to provide students with the opportunity of applying those skills in a series of performance workshops.

Each assessment task will involve students performing a series of advocacy skills: lead evidence in chief; cross examination; deliver and address (either and opening or closing). These tasks will be assessed on the basis of conceptualisation, preparation and communication. Students are required to present a summary of their oral submission in written form. Each student will perform three 7-minute assessment tasks (chief, cross, examination, address), each of which has equal weight (33.3%) and each of which is assessed according to the 40:40:20 scheme set out as follows: Oral Communication 40%; Conceptualisation 40%; Written submission 20%.

• M Perry, Hampel on Advocacy, Leo Cussen Institute.