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.
For more information, watch the Advocacy Club's promotional video here.
Do you want to practice the Advocacy Club Techniques?
We are considering creating a list of members, including AC@LS members) who want to practice the techniques in a small group or even in pairs or threes. The idea is that they would have a list of members (likely short) and would make arrangements directly as needed. One member might volunteer to curate the group and hold periodic 'refreshers' on a 'come if you want' basis, on Zoom or in person. For Ontario lawyers and paralegals, sessions count as substantive CPD hours.
If you want to join such a list, or if you want to curate a group, let me know here.
If you want to join such a list, or if you want to curate a group, let me know here.
Advocacy Club New Format for Spring 2022
- The Advocacy Club Boot Camp has reverted to its initial format, once weekly sessions. Same content, but for five weeks @ 2.0 hours each.
- Participants will meet in small groups live at an office in downtown Ottawa Thursday afternoons from 4:00-6:00.
- Participants will qualify for 8.5 hours of substantive CPD and 1.5 hours of professional CPD, of which 1.0 hours allow as EDI.
- This Boot Camp occurs only in person, led by Juliet Knapton. Future Boot Camps may be in person, on Zoom, or in a hybrid format sponsored by uOttawa Law School.
- Cost is $370 for lawyers and $250 for students and paralegals, all plus HST, payable in advance and not refundable.
Feedback from the new format:
"I'm amazed by how much I learned in such a short time. I gained practical knowledge and tools to be a better advocate for clients. This Advocacy Club Bootcamp is definitely a worthwhile investment."
"The Advocacy Bootcamp challenged me and allowed me to learn a lot about the way I currently conduct my legal practice and how it can be improved. The instructors pushed us and helped us reflect on our advocacy skills and how to improve them. I highly recommend taking this course."
"Outstanding!"
Feedback so far has been unanimous at 5 Stars.
** SAVE THE DATE - Spring Social Event** May 10th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
The Advocacy Club Social Committee is pleased to announce that our Spring Social is around the corner!
WHEN: Tuesday, May 10th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
WHERE: Black & Associates (352 Elgin Street)
WHAT: An informal opportunity to socialize, network, and introduce students and new-hires to the wonderful members of the Club and the Ottawa bar. Hors d'œuvres and drinks will be served. We encourage junior and senior members of the bar as well as students to attend.
Please hold the date in your calendars, spread the word to your colleagues, and stay tuned for more details regarding registration in the coming weeks!
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Kelli-Anne Day directly should you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you all there!
WHEN: Tuesday, May 10th from 5:30 to 7:30 pm
WHERE: Black & Associates (352 Elgin Street)
WHAT: An informal opportunity to socialize, network, and introduce students and new-hires to the wonderful members of the Club and the Ottawa bar. Hors d'œuvres and drinks will be served. We encourage junior and senior members of the bar as well as students to attend.
Please hold the date in your calendars, spread the word to your colleagues, and stay tuned for more details regarding registration in the coming weeks!
Please do not hesitate to reach out to Kelli-Anne Day directly should you have any questions. We look forward to seeing you all there!
Announcing the new Members' Posts Page
Have you written a post lately on a professionalism subject? Or maybe a tip on how to get things done just a bit better? Have a story to tell about your latest 5-and-out?
The Advocacy Club welcomes such posts from graduates of the Boot Camp (AC@LS included) and will 'publish' them on its website and feature the best in its monthly newsletter. To be curated by Juliet Knapton, so send her a copy in Word format.
The Advocacy Club welcomes such posts from graduates of the Boot Camp (AC@LS included) and will 'publish' them on its website and feature the best in its monthly newsletter. To be curated by Juliet Knapton, so send her a copy in Word format.
Combined Law School/Advanced Advocacy Club Initiative
As a Beta-test, we are running a bi-weekly series of short (75-minute) advanced sessions on Zoom with eight uOttawa law students on Wednesday afternoons at 2:45. For each, we invite two AC members to join both as participants and as team leaders in breakouts. The sessions run like Trial Advocacy Class:
So far, we have run three of the four sessions proposed as the Advanced Club Micro Series (see below).
- For each, there is a short podcast to present the technique of the session.
- The participants use a case study to set the facts, roles, exhibits and issues.
- At the session, participants discuss strategy, prepare their examinations, and run their examinations using each other as witnesses.
- Organizational support is provided by one of the law students, Emily Conte.
So far, we have run three of the four sessions proposed as the Advanced Club Micro Series (see below).
Announcing the Second Annual Advocacy Club's "Guide to Succeeding in a Law Firm" - May 25, 2022 at 5:30 pm
This hour-long Zoom session is led by Ottawa lawyers and Advocacy Club members. Sponsored by uOttawa Law, it's available to all law students (1L, 2L and 3L) planning to enter the summer or articling workforce following the April exam season. Practical tips for coping and thriving in a law firm, transitioning from academia. Contact the organizer, Kelli-Anne Day, for information or to enroll here.
The PDF attachment here contains the details.
The PDF attachment here contains the details.
Announcing the new Advanced Advocacy Club Micro Series
What's old is new again. We're offering the next advanced sessions on a micro basis, as we did early in the Club's history. Capped at 8 Club members (only), these sessions will take place for 90 minutes either at the offices of a sponsoring law firm, in person, or on Zoom (but not at the same time), based on demand. Participants will agree to listen to a 15-minute podcast about the technique for the session and read a brief case study (not the Will Case) for each session. There will be no charge for these sessions, but the Club will make a donation to Emily Murphy NPH. Contact me here to express your interest and which sessions, volunteer your firm to host a session, or serve as the second chair to run a future session. I will set dates/times based on interest.
Initial session topics will be:
Initial session topics will be:
- Cross-examining a surprise witness
- Examining/crossing a witness using the notes/records of the witness
- Examining/crossing an expert on a report
- Impeachment situations that occur in real life
Announcing the new Advocacy Club Newsletter
Communication is a significant issue. Emails? We all get too many, and, worse, bulk emails are vulnerable to phishing. And who reads them, anyway? LinkedIn? We have an active LinkedIn User Group (members are invited to ask for an invite - or check their inbox for the invite they have ignored), but despite "likes" and "shares", there is a very haphazard response to these. CCLA newsletter? Many Club members, especially outside Ottawa, don't read these.
So, we are trying a new venture, the AC Newsletter. It will be sent to Club 20, 21 and 22 members, past team leaders, and anyone else who asks to be added to the list. If you get one and don't want it, let me know, and I will remove your name. If you want it sent to your private email, let me know. Many members have changed firms/addresses or have left law without letting me know.
The technology foundation for the AC Newsletter is Weebly/Square, and it is not very robust. You may not have opted-in, and I don't know it. I apologize if you receive unwanted emails because of that. I will correct the problems as soon as I get notified.
The most recent Newsletter can be read by requesting it via email.
So, we are trying a new venture, the AC Newsletter. It will be sent to Club 20, 21 and 22 members, past team leaders, and anyone else who asks to be added to the list. If you get one and don't want it, let me know, and I will remove your name. If you want it sent to your private email, let me know. Many members have changed firms/addresses or have left law without letting me know.
The technology foundation for the AC Newsletter is Weebly/Square, and it is not very robust. You may not have opted-in, and I don't know it. I apologize if you receive unwanted emails because of that. I will correct the problems as soon as I get notified.
The most recent Newsletter can be read by requesting it via email.
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 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. Contact Club member and EMNH Board Chair Victoria Boddy for more information.
Each Advanced Club will raise funds for this deserving non-profit. Contact Club member and EMNH Board Chair Victoria Boddy for more information.
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.