Welcome to the Advocacy Club
watch the Advocacy ClubThe 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.
Club News and Events
2018 Advocacy Club Retreat - Great Expectations: May 12 from 9:00-12:30 at KPMG
The 2018 Advocacy Club Retreat Committee is already working on the content and format for the next Retreat. Sponsored again by KPMG's Forensic Services, this Retreat will focus on Managing Expectations. Divided into three 1-hour presentations, the Club will examine and discuss managing expectations of:
For more information
- Our clients.
- Our bosses.
- Ourselves.
For more information
- Watch the Advocacy Club's promo video on YouTube, here.
- Check out the 2018 Retreat Tab on this website for more information.
Announcing New Joint Advocacy Club-CCLA Program: Weed at Work
Advising clients about the impact of legalized cannabis in the workplace
The Advocacy Club and the County of Carleton Law Association (CCLA) are pleased to announce a novel “joint” program to present workplace issues that will arise when the federal cannabis law comes into effect in (or after) the summer of 2018. Organized by Club Member Nigel McKechnie (Lister Beaupré), this interactive program will be presented by Mario Torres (Brazeau Seller) and registered nurse, Madelaine Brown.
KPMG Forensic (Ottawa) are hosting this event at their Ottawa office. The program will take place:
KPMG Forensic (Ottawa) are hosting this event at their Ottawa office. The program will take place:
- on Wednesday, June 20, 2018 from 4 o’clock until 6 o’clock
- at KPMG’s premises at 150 Elgin Street, Ottawa
- and will qualify for CPD credits, to be determined upon completion of the program’s specific content
- cost is $50 plus HST per participant, payable here
- net proceeds to the CCLA’s renovation program
Introducing a Blog Page on Practice Development
This blog (click here) will feature posts by lawyers, both senior and junior, prominent and less so - and usually not me. The views will always be those of the author of the post. The first will feature Norman Bowley discussing referrals - not how to get them, but what to do when you get them.
Advocacy Club Boot Camp - April 24 and 26, 2018
Join the Advocacy Club! The only way is by taking the Boot Camp. A comprehensive training program that covers the basics of civil trial advocacy: interview skills, case analysis, outlining examinations, discovery, direct and cross-examination techniques and legal argument. All in eight hours of mixed presentations, drills and exercises. A practical, formula-based program that arms the junior litigators with the essentials to survive and succeed in a today's courtrooms.
Details of the Boot Camp can be found here
Contact John Hollander to reserve your spot for the next session, April 24 and 26, 2018 from 1:00-5:00. Participants will be invited to the 2018 Advocacy Club Retreat, May 12.
- CPD: Sessions qualify as 6.5 hours substantive and 1.5 hours professional CPD.
- Cost: $370 for lawyers and $250 for articling and summer students, both plus HST.
- Payment via credit card or PayPal, can be arranged here for lawyers and here for students.
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 in Season 1 (2017) feature discussions of issues faced by junior lawyers when dealing with professional choices. For both Seasons 1 and 2 (rolling out in 2018), the accomplished guests present tips and guidance with respect to an area of law (e.g. Construction, Family, Personal Injury/Insurance Defence), a component of litigation practice (e.g. Discovery, Trial Preparation, Mediation, Factum Writing) or a subject related to career development (e.g. Promotion, Professionalism, Starting a Law Practice). An impressive group of counsel has participated in these one-on-one and one-on-two interviews. All the lawyers with 10 years or less at the Bar are members of the Advocacy Club. In Season 1 (2017), 13 episodes present interviews with 12 different lawyers. All can be found at: www.chatwithlawyers.ca.
Season 2 (2018) has begun.
Season 2 (2018) has begun.
- Episode 1 features a discussion with Alyssa Tomkins and Andrew Ferguson, on the subject of making partner.
- Episode 2 features Eugene Meehan discussing factum writing.
- Episode 3 features Jaye Hooper discussing how to start a law firm.
- Episodes 4 and 5 will follow shortly (April 2018) with pairs of lawyers each to discuss maternity leave and creating a practice group within a law firm from the perspectives of both the senior and junior lawyers involved.
For information on John Hollander's written resources published by Irwin Law, click on Handbooks |
From Novice Lawyer to Skilled Advocate . . .
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Founded by John Hollander in 2009 in Ottawa, the Advocacy Club trains novice lawyers to become skilled advocates. It has two focuses:
Our training methods emphasize practical exercise sessions without lectures. The initial training (the Boot Camp) consists of two half days of four hours each. The first half day focuses on interview skills, case analysis and outlining techniques. The second applies the lessons of the first session to examinations and closing arguments. Boot Camp enrollment is limited so that participants get the most out of each session. |
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:
John has written several handbooks presenting the Advocacy Club techniques. They are available through Irwin Law Publishers and on the Store page of this website.
In January 2014, John Hollander Professional Corporation was approved as an Accredited Provider of Professionalism Content by the Law Society of Upper Canada. 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.
- focused cross examination techniques
- focused direct examination techniques
- presentation skills (led by professional actress and coach, Kristina Watt)
- discovery techniques (adapted for use by AJEFO)
- advanced discovery techniques - dealing with poor questions and non-responsive answers
- advanced discovery - dealing with aggressive counsel and witnesses
- negotiation tactics (adapted for use by AJEFO)
- mediation
- case analysis
- objections (adapted for use by AJEFO)
- openings and closings
- motions advocacy
- expert witnesses (several separate sessions with accountants, occupational therapists and psychologists)
- impeachment of witnesses
John has written several handbooks presenting the Advocacy Club techniques. They are available through Irwin Law Publishers and on the Store page of this website.
In January 2014, John Hollander Professional Corporation was approved as an Accredited Provider of Professionalism Content by the Law Society of Upper Canada. 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.
