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 Bootcamp
Upgrade your legal skills:
Take the Advocacy Club Bootcamp!
April 14 and 16, 2020, 1:00 to 5:00 - SOLD OUT - This session takes place at our sponsor KPMG Forensic Services offices, 150 Elgin #1800. Next session is likely in July or August. Contact John Hollander to express your interest in participating.
Notice: due to the health emergency, it is possible this April boot camp will be postponed. Refunds will be available for those who have paid in such case. If you have signed up for it, please don't pay until the week before.
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What is the Advocacy Club Bootcamp? A practical, formula-based program that arms junior litigators with the essentials to survive and succeed in today's civil courtrooms.
This comprehensive training program covers the basics of civil trial advocacy: interview skills, case analysis, outlining examinations, discovery, direct and cross-examination techniques, presenting legal argument and public speaking. All in 8.0 hours of mixed presentations, drills, and exercises. |
Details of the Boot Camp can be found here.
Boot camps typically run for two half days, either mornings or afternoons, and typicallly on a Tuesday and a Thursday. Contact John Hollander to reserve your spot for this next session.
Boot camps can be specifically tailored to an area of law. There have be been boot camps run in two departments of the fedeal government. They can be modified to include expert witnesses or include/exclude specific types of examination. They could even be modified to train solicitors or in-house corporate counsel.
Boot camps typically run for two half days, either mornings or afternoons, and typicallly on a Tuesday and a Thursday. Contact John Hollander to reserve your spot for this next session.
Boot camps can be specifically tailored to an area of law. There have be been boot camps run in two departments of the fedeal government. They can be modified to include expert witnesses or include/exclude specific types of examination. They could even be modified to train solicitors or in-house corporate counsel.
- CPD: Sessions qualify as 6.5 hours substantive and 1.5 hours professional CPD, of which 1.0 hour qualifies as the EDI component lawyers require annually.
- Cost: $370 for lawyers and $250 for paralegals, articling and summer students, plus HST.
- Payment via credit card or PayPal, can be arranged here for lawyers and here for students, etc.
Club News and Events
Announcing the 3rd Annual Advocacy Club Compensation Survey
Advocacy Club 2019 Compensation Survey is now ready for distribution. For the third year in a row, the Club has compiled compensation data in respect of junior lawyers - those from articling all the way through 2015 Calls. There were more than 90 respondents, so the data is reliable, thanks to Advocacy Club 18 member, Dylan Dilks. Reports are available to all Club members on request by mid-November. Negotiate your comp package armed with data!
To request your report , contact John Hollander. The report is available to all Club members.
To request your report , contact John Hollander. The report is available to all Club members.
Advanced Advocacy Club Training Sessions Planned for 2020
During the 2020 calendar year, the Advocacy Club will present the following sessions all at the offices of KPMG Forensic Services, 150 Elgin #1800, Ottawa.
March 11, 2020 4:30-6:30
Small Claims Court Settlement Conferences
Organized by: Craig Williams and Kelli-Anne Day
Presented by: Deputy Judges Rohan Bansie and Rosalind Conway
CPD: Substantive 2.0 hours
A huge success. Our thanks to the Deputy Judges and Club organizers and the participants.
Small Claims Court Settlement Conferences
Organized by: Craig Williams and Kelli-Anne Day
Presented by: Deputy Judges Rohan Bansie and Rosalind Conway
CPD: Substantive 2.0 hours
A huge success. Our thanks to the Deputy Judges and Club organizers and the participants.
Delayed due to health emergency. Date and time TBA
Mental Health Issues for Lawyers
Organized by: Bianca Bielecki and Kimberley Pollard
Presented by: Rob de Toni, Dr. Natasha Ballen and other professionals TBD
CPD: Professional Hours and EDI TBA.
Mental Health Issues for Lawyers
Organized by: Bianca Bielecki and Kimberley Pollard
Presented by: Rob de Toni, Dr. Natasha Ballen and other professionals TBD
CPD: Professional Hours and EDI TBA.
Delayed due to health emergency. Date and time TBA
Advocacy Club Annual Retreat
Organized by: Charles Daoust, Cloe Waind and Sasha Willms
CPD: 3.0 Professional Hours. EDI to be determined.
Advocacy Club Annual Retreat
Organized by: Charles Daoust, Cloe Waind and Sasha Willms
CPD: 3.0 Professional Hours. EDI to be determined.
Delayed due to health emergency. Date and time TBA
Advocacy Club CCLA Annual Professionalism Seminar
Organized by: Hilary Chung and Victoria Boddy
Presented by senior counsel: Jim Jeffcott, Karen Reid, Scott McLean, Tara Sweeney
Team leaders: Adrienne Curran, Hilary Chung, Sarah Lag, Victoria Boddy
CPD: Professional hours and EDI to be determined.
Advocacy Club CCLA Annual Professionalism Seminar
Organized by: Hilary Chung and Victoria Boddy
Presented by senior counsel: Jim Jeffcott, Karen Reid, Scott McLean, Tara Sweeney
Team leaders: Adrienne Curran, Hilary Chung, Sarah Lag, Victoria Boddy
CPD: Professional hours and EDI to be determined.
Announcing: KPMG's Curriculum for Lawyers
Kas Rehman, KPMG Partner, Advisory Services, Forensic
KPMG Forensic Services in Ottawa has supported and sponsored Advocacy Club events since 2016. They have supplied expert witnesses for exercises, and presenters for the 2019 Symposium Series. Now they have published a "Curriculum for Lawyers", a 23-page explanation of financial terms, concepts and subjects for lawyers. Check it out here. And contact KPMG partner, Kas Rehman, here.
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:
- Focused cross examination techniques
- Focused direct examination techniques
- Presentation skills (led by professional actress and coach, Kristina Watt)
- Discovery techniques
- Advanced discovery techniques - dealing with poor questions and non-responsive answers
- Advanced discovery - dealing with aggressive counsel and witnesses
- Negotiation tactics
- Mediation and settlement conferences
- Case analysis
- Objections
- Openings and closings
- Motions advocacy
- Expert witnesses (several separate sessions with accountants, occupational therapists and psychologists)
- Impeachment of witnesses
- Public speaking
- Communications skills (qualifies as EDI and professionalsim hours)
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For detailed course descriptions, go to: Courses
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. |
Empathy Skills Course
Announcing:
Empathy Skills Course for CPD/EDI Credits
Dates in 2019 TBA
The Advocacy Club incorporates the Empathy Toy (tm) in its Boot Camp to teach communications and empathy skills to junior advocates. Watch the video from the creators, Twenty One Toys, here.
Now this amazing and effective session is available for small groups (between 4 and 8) of lawyers of all levels of seniority. The session has the collateral benefit of team-building. Qualifies as 60 minutes of the Equality, Diversity and Equity component of professional hours of CPD by the Law Society of Ontario.
Now this amazing and effective session is available for small groups (between 4 and 8) of lawyers of all levels of seniority. The session has the collateral benefit of team-building. Qualifies as 60 minutes of the Equality, Diversity and Equity component of professional hours of CPD by the Law Society of Ontario.
"Communications by a lawyer are a crucial element of the position – whether it be with clients, fellow lawyers or the public in general. It is essential that we understand how to communicate with all individuals regardless of race or gender. John’s seminar provides guidance in doing all that and is useful for all lawyers regardless of experience or background. I recently participated in a session with several other senior lawyers. We all benefitted from the experience."
Roger Ramonat
Soon to be available through the Advocacy Club and through the County of Carleton Law Association, contact John Hollander for more details.
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.
To the Firms that have Sponsored 2019 Events...
Thank You!
- KPMG Forensic Services
- Kelly Santini
- Brazeau Seller/Yegendorf
- Smart & Biggar/Fetherstonhaugh
- Macera & Jarzyna/Moffatt
- University of Ottawa Law School (PPD)
- Cavanagh
- Auger Hollingsworth
- Nelligan O'Brien Payne