Essential guide to advocacy
Bundle Overview
To present a strong, persuasive case you need to sharpen several core advocacy skills.
From case analysis and cross-examination to drafting and oral submissions. These skills, coupled with court etiquette, will enable you to advocate for your clients with conviction.
This bundle will build your capabilities across four essential – and practical – modules. You’ll learn:
- Court etiquette, protocol and procedure
- The intricacies of cross-examination and re-examination
- How to effectively apply the rules of evidence
- An in-depth guide into evidence-in-chief
You may be an early-career lawyer wanting to build foundational knowledge. Or perhaps you’re a senior lawyer looking to test and sharpen your expertise.
Either way, you’ll walk away with practical skills to advocate on behalf of your clients more confidently and effectively.
Each bundle is delivered with jurisdictional-specific content. A sample of the NSW bundle content is below. Please choose your preferred jurisdiction when adding this bundle to your cart.
Course Overview
Advocating for your client in court can be intimidating.
Doing it effectively requires a range of abilities: from case analysis and making oral submissions, to cross-examining witnesses in criminal trials, and being able to put forward a strong and persuasive case.
You also need to have mastered the use of court etiquette in your jurisdiction.
This course will help you advocate more confidently and effectively by:
- Giving you a better understanding of court procedure
- Gaining an appreciation of your role in the different stages of proceedings
- Teaching you how to follow the principles of court etiquette
At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Analyse the lawyer’s role as an advocate
- Explain court procedure
- Carry out crucial steps at different stages of a proceeding
- Advise on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of court etiquette
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD categories of Professional Skills and Ethics and Professional Responsibility.
Course Structure
- Introduction to advocacy
- Court procedure
- Lawyer’s role at different stages of the proceedings
- Court etiquette
Course Overview
Being able to cross-examine and re-examine a witness is an important skill for an advocate. Whether you’re trying to elicit new evidence favourable to your client’s case or discredit your opponent’s evidence, your ability to do it effectively will have a significant impact on the outcome of your client’s case.
In this course, you'll learn the essential skills for effective cross-examination and re-examination.
At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Prepare for cross-examination and re-examination
- Explain effective cross-examination and re-examination techniques
- Carry out cross-examination and re-examination of a witness
- Advise on the dos and don’ts of cross-examination and re-examination
You’ll gain the skills you need to better advocate on behalf of your client in court.
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Course Structure
- Getting started – knowing the basics
- Cross-examination on credibility issues
- Cross-examination on credit issues
- Cross-examination on documents
- Dos and don’ts of cross-examination
- Re-examination
Course Overview
Understanding the law of evidence is key to constructing a robust case for your client.
In a criminal proceeding, the rules of evidence govern what is admissible or inadmissible in a trial and the procedures that must be followed in obtaining evidence, including:
- how suspects are interviewed
- the way searches are conducted, and
- how forensic evidence is stored and analysed.
The rules also cover how witnesses are questioned during examination-in-chief and cross-examination.
In this course, you’ll learn about hearsay, opinion evidence, relevance, privilege and more.
At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Apply the proof-making model to a set of facts
- Distinguish between the three types of burden of proof
- Identify admissible and inadmissible evidence
- Summarise the circumstances in which an exclusionary rule may apply
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Course Structure
- Getting started
- Receiving instructions
- Commencing proceedings
- Drafting and affirming the affidavit of the executor
- Filing the application for grant of probate
Course Overview
Evidence-in-chief (when a witness is being questioned in court by the party that called them to appear) is key to building a strong foundation for your case. Whether you’re the defence or prosecution, you need to approach the questioning of your witnesses strategically.
In this course, you’ll focus on two important aspects of advocacy:
- preparing and conducting examination-in-chief for a trial, and
- the nature and use of exhibits (an important evidentiary aspect in a case) in court.
At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Summarise the critical features of a case theory
- Develop a witness examination strategic plan
- Compose appropriate witness questions
- Summarise the process for introducing an exhibit to the court
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Course Structure
- Developing a case theory
- Constructing a witness strategy plan
- Presentation techniques for evidence in-chief
- Exhibits explained
Course Overview
Advocating for your client in court can be intimidating.
Doing it effectively requires a range of abilities: from case analysis and making oral submissions, to cross-examining witnesses in criminal trials, and being able to put forward a strong and persuasive case.
You also need to have mastered the use of court etiquette in your jurisdiction.
This course will help you advocate more confidently and effectively by:
- Giving you a better understanding of court procedure
- Gaining an appreciation of your role in the different stages of proceedings
- Teaching you how to follow the principles of court etiquette
At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Analyse the lawyer’s role as an advocate
- Explain court procedure
- Carry out crucial steps at different stages of a proceeding
- Advise on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of court etiquette
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD categories of Professional Skills and Ethics and Professional Responsibility.
Course Structure
- Introduction to advocacy
- Court procedure
- Lawyer’s role at different stages of the proceedings
- Court etiquette
Course Overview
Being able to cross-examine and re-examine a witness is an important skill for an advocate. Whether you’re trying to elicit new evidence favourable to your client’s case or discredit your opponent’s evidence, your ability to do it effectively will have a significant impact on the outcome of your client’s case.
In this course, you'll learn the essential skills for effective cross-examination and re-examination.
At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Prepare for cross-examination and re-examination
- Explain effective cross-examination and re-examination techniques
- Carry out cross-examination and re-examination of a witness
- Advise on the dos and don’ts of cross-examination and re-examination
You’ll gain the skills you need to better advocate on behalf of your client in court.
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Course Structure
- Getting started – knowing the basics
- Cross-examination on credibility issues
- Cross-examination on credit issues
- Cross-examination on documents
- Dos and don’ts of cross-examination
- Re-examination
Course Overview
Understanding the law of evidence is key to constructing a robust case for your client.
In a criminal proceeding, the rules of evidence govern what is admissible or inadmissible in a trial and the procedures that must be followed in obtaining evidence, including:
- how suspects are interviewed
- the way searches are conducted, and
- how forensic evidence is stored and analysed.
The rules also cover how witnesses are questioned during examination-in-chief and cross-examination.
In this course, you’ll learn about hearsay, opinion evidence, relevance, privilege and more.
At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Apply the proof-making model to a set of facts
- Distinguish between the three types of burden of proof
- Identify admissible and inadmissible evidence
- Summarise the circumstances in which an exclusionary rule may apply
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Course Structure
- Getting started
- Receiving instructions
- Commencing proceedings
- Drafting and affirming the affidavit of the executor
- Filing the application for grant of probate
Course Overview
Evidence-in-chief (when a witness is being questioned in court by the party that called them to appear) is key to building a strong foundation for your case. Whether you’re the defence or prosecution, you need to approach the questioning of your witnesses strategically.
In this course, you’ll focus on two important aspects of advocacy:
- preparing and conducting examination-in-chief for a trial, and
- the nature and use of exhibits (an important evidentiary aspect in a case) in court.
At the end of this course, you’ll be able to:
- Summarise the critical features of a case theory
- Develop a witness examination strategic plan
- Compose appropriate witness questions
- Summarise the process for introducing an exhibit to the court
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD category of Professional Skills.
Course Structure
- Developing a case theory
- Constructing a witness strategy plan
- Presentation techniques for evidence in-chief
- Exhibits explained
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Frequently Asked Questions
This bundle will benefit:
- Lawyers wanting to build practical foundational knowledge and skills
- Mid-career lawyers considering a move into litigation or advocacy or who do occasional work in this area
- Senior lawyers looking to confirm and test their knowledge
The course contains content that falls within the mandatory CPD categories of:
- Professional skills
- Substantive law
With our online on-demand interactive courses, you can learn when and where it suits you. We’ve designed each course to provide both education and enjoyment.
Each course offers a mix of engaging exercises, where you’ll gain access to:
- Interactive activities to challenge your understanding and put your knowledge to the test. You’ll also enjoy engaging exercises, such as flip cards, quizzes and drafting activities.
- Clearly identified outcomes so you know precisely what you’ll learn – and the skills you’ll gain. You’ll also be able to track your development and focus on key improvement areas.
- Extended course access so you can reference the material as you need – or revisit it should life get in the way.
- Feedback and template answers so you can refine your skills, grow your knowledge and gain fresh insights.
Each on-demand bundle contains four in-depth learning resources so you can boost your essential knowledge and skills across a practice area – more affordably.
With a bundle, you’ll earn eight CPD points, while saving 40% on the single courses.
Go in-depth as you comprehensively explore a specific practice area. Learn interactively across engaging formats like step-by-step guides, practice guides and skill series. And gain helpful learning resources you can reference when you encounter similar situations in practice.
Access each module on the College’s learning portal. When you buy a single, you’ll have 24/7 unlimited access for 12-months from the date of purchase.
Does this educational activity extend your knowledge and skills in areas that are relevant to your practice needs or professional development?
If so, and you’re not a WA practitioner, you should claim 1 unit for each hour of participation, not including breaks.
Please check your local CPD rules for any caps on activity types, such as the private study of non-interactive audio/visual materials. You are responsible for keeping your own CPD records and complying with your local CPD rules.
No. Western Australian practitioners who complete our on-demand courses are currently unable to claim CPD points.
However, you may earn CPD points by attending select live CPD events or by completing select CPD Interactive modules.