Skillnet Fee/Public Sector Subscriber fee: €1,012 per person
Aim and Objectives
Solicitors involved in civil or criminal practice will benefit from participation in this Course, which will enable you to improve and develop your advocacy skills. This Course is aimed at solicitors who already have courtroom/representational experience, with a minimum of three years’ post-qualification experience.
Topics and Issues Covered
The course comprises of two modules:
MODULE 1 - EVIDENCE This will be an eCPD course. It will be delivered on-line by Dr Paul Anthony McDermott, BL. Dr. McDermott is a barrister in general practice and a highly-respected lecturer. He is the co-author of Criminal Law (with Mr Justice Peter Charleton and Marguerite Bolger, BL). He is also the author of Res Judicata and Double Jeopardy, Prison Law and Contract Law. The eCPD course will comprise of five elements:
Topic 1: General Principles of Evidence
Topic 2: Illegally and Unconstitutionally Obtained Evidence
Topic 3: Opinion and Expert Evidence
Topic 4: Documentary Evidence
Topic 5: Hearsay Evidence and Related Matters
Participants must complete the Evidence module in full in order to proceed to the Advocacy component of the course.
MODULE 2 - ADVOCACY Upon successful completion of the Evidence module, participants will take part in a practical five-day intensive course in Advocacy from Monday 6 September to Friday 10 September 2010 from 9.00am to 6.00pm daily. There will be a reception and dinner taking place on Friday night – 10 September. This component will be delivered by trained mentors, who are practicing judges from the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and specially trained members of the legal profession in Ireland. Much of the course will be conducted in groups. Each person will be required to participate as an individual and as part of a team. Therefore it has to be stressed that maximum attendance and punctuality is expected and demanded of all participants. Prior to the Advocacy component each participant will be sent an extensive case file, which everyone must be familiar with before the Advocacy week begins. An additional shorter case file will be distributed during the week, which will be used for a mock trial on the final day - Friday 10 September.
National Associates of Trial Advocates (NITA)
This Course will be run in partnership with the US-based NITA organisation, which is renowned worldwide for its trial-skills training. NITA is a non-profit body with more than 30 years of experience in teaching trial advocacy. It was set up to provide the best possible training in legal advocacy skills and techniques for resolving legal disputes and to foster professionally responsible behaviour. NITA’s programmes are distinguished by a learning-by-doing teaching philosophy. Participants’ performances are videotaped and then critiqued on an individual basis giving the participant valuable feedback on technique, style and strategy. NITA trainers will be amongst those teaching on the five-day Advocacy course in September. (www.nita.org)