Welcome to the Advocacy Club
The Advocacy Club was founded in 2007 to train articling students and junior lawyers in the arts of civil advocacy. Since then, it has expanded to include hundreds of participants from many law firms and governmental organizations. The Club's sessions are based on these principles:
- Trainees learn more by doing than by listening to lectures.
- Junior advocates benefit greatly from networking with other like-minded professionals.
- Collegiality, professionalism, and competence are interrelated and form the foundation for a successful career in law.
Advocacy Club New Formats for Winter 2022
First, the Boot Camp:
Second, the Advanced Sessions. These are available to lawyers, paralegals and articling students. Due to scheduling issues, we require participants sign up (without prepayment) by contacting the organizer as indicated. Once there are sufficient participants, the date and time will be set and participants asked to commit.
- The Advocacy Club Boot Camp will revert to its initial format, once weekly sessions. Same content, but for five weeks @ 2.0 hours each.
- Participants meet on Zoom Tuesday afternoons from 4:00-6:00.
- As a backup, participants will be able to stream sessions that cover similar material, at a small extra charge.
- Participants will receive a certificate of completion, confirming 8.5 hours of substantive CPD, and 1.5 hours of professional CPD, of which 1.0 hour qualifies as EDI.
- The first sessions will take place Tuesday, January 25, 2022.
- All sessions on Zoom, led by either John Hollander or Juliet Knapton.
- Cost is $370 for lawyers and $250 for students and paralegals, all plus HST, payable in advance and not refundable.
Second, the Advanced Sessions. These are available to lawyers, paralegals and articling students. Due to scheduling issues, we require participants sign up (without prepayment) by contacting the organizer as indicated. Once there are sufficient participants, the date and time will be set and participants asked to commit.
- Eugene Meehan’s program on Persuasive Written Advocacy, will take place as a two-session bundle, total 4 hours, on Zoom. Details of the program are set out here. Date is TBD. Contact Matthew Benson to sign up or for more information.
- Juliet Knapton, Jane Murray, and Vasu Naik's Effective Techniques for Virtual Family Law Settlement Conferences and Mediations. Details of the program are set out here. Date is TBD. Contact Adrienne Curran or Kimberley Pollard to sign up or for more information.
The Advocacy Club now partners with the Emily Murphy Non-profit Housing Corp.
The Emily Murphy Non-profit Housing Corp is the first affordable supportive housing option for single parents in Ontario. It provides single parents and their children with affordable, quality housing while also encouraging them to thrive in the broader community. Its mission is to provide stable housing and empower families to lead healthy, independent lives. It values the dignity and uniqueness of each individual living at EM, strives to uphold equity and recognize diversity within the EM community, and supports single parents and children to become stronger and more confident in controlling their own lives and recognizing their own rights.
Each Advanced Club will raise funds for this deserving non-profit. To get involved contact Club member and EM Board Chair, Victoria Boddy.
Each Advanced Club will raise funds for this deserving non-profit. To get involved contact Club member and EM Board Chair, Victoria Boddy.
Announcing the Streaming Video Series
The Advocacy Club has gone online in streaming format! Take the course on your own time and at your own pace. Qualifies as CPD hours in Ontario (and elsewhere - check with your regulator). Check it out on this website at the Advocacy Club's Streaming Video tab.
From Novice Lawyer to Skilled Advocate
Founded by John Hollander in 2007 in Ottawa, the Advocacy Club trains novice lawyers to become skilled advocates. It has two focuses:
By the end of the Boot Camp, junior advocates have learned to apply the techniques to most of the situations they encounter in their practice. After this initial training, Club members participate in advanced sessions that take place throughout the year. To date these sessions have included training in:
- To teach the art of advocacy through preparation, interview and examination
- To promote collegiality among advocacy peers.
By the end of the Boot Camp, junior advocates have learned to apply the techniques to most of the situations they encounter in their practice. After this initial training, Club members participate in advanced sessions that take place throughout the year. To date these sessions have included training in:
Advocacy Club Handbooks
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John has written several handbooks presenting the Advocacy Club techniques. They are available through Irwin Law Publishers and on Amazon.com at John's Author Page here.
In January 2014, John Hollander Professional Corporation was approved as an Accredited Provider of Professionalism Content by the Law Society of Ontario. This accreditation applies to all Advocacy Club Programs to which professionalism content is applicable. If you have any questions for John, or are interested in Advocacy Club training sessions, go to the Contact page. |
Chat with Lawyers Podcast Series
John Hollander interviews lawyers to present an entertaining discussion of their careers and techniques. Each podcast runs less than an hour. All of the episodes feature discussions with senior lawyers about issues faced by junior lawyers when dealing with professional choices.
There are themes to the series. The early podcasts featured senior prominent lawyers discussing specific techniques in civil litigation. The series expanded to include professional issues, such as parental leave, partnership and promotion. The series took a detour to interview Great Canadians, a retired Supreme Court justice, a law school dean, the creator of the Syrian Refugee Sponsorship program and a sightless law student, all of whom have had a major impact on our legal scene.
The series currently presents Advocacy Club members discussing their experiences in trials and contested hearings. All podcasts present tips and techniques for junior lawyers to improve their practices.
All episodes can be found at: www.chatwithlawyers.ca.
There are themes to the series. The early podcasts featured senior prominent lawyers discussing specific techniques in civil litigation. The series expanded to include professional issues, such as parental leave, partnership and promotion. The series took a detour to interview Great Canadians, a retired Supreme Court justice, a law school dean, the creator of the Syrian Refugee Sponsorship program and a sightless law student, all of whom have had a major impact on our legal scene.
The series currently presents Advocacy Club members discussing their experiences in trials and contested hearings. All podcasts present tips and techniques for junior lawyers to improve their practices.
All episodes can be found at: www.chatwithlawyers.ca.