Practical Advocacy in the Crown Court follows the life of a case in the Crown Court chronologically, providing guidance and insights at each step. It guides the reader from first conference through legal arguments and witness handling to sentencing hearings, with references to procedure, codes of conduct, and key cases. With an emphasis on practical advice, each chapter follows a similar format incorporating dos and don'ts, mock situations, and sections on good practice. Key topics covered include: -Making and opposing bail applications -Effective communication with lay clients -Appeals against conviction and sentence in the Crown Court -Evidential submissions -Witness handling of complainants, vulnerable witnesses, police officers and experts -Making effective jury speeches -Sentencing, mitigation and advocacy in cases involving the Mental Health Act This is the only specialist guide written for Crown Court advocates, by Crown Court advocates. It provides learned advice on common situations such as hearsay applications, hostile witnesses, making speeches or mitigating in cases where it may feel like there is little to say. It also provides insight on good communication with clients as well as court room advocacy, and dealing with lay clients, solicitors and police officers in conference. In addition, it covers written advocacy in detail, including persuasive skeleton arguments and using jury bundles effectively. Depending on the experience of the reader, this book helps the: -new advocate by giving them insight into situations that arise frequently, with a proper understanding of their role, as well as advice on how to adapt their style to the witness or the Judge -progressing advocate to develop skills with advice garnered from counsel of many years' experience, such as sections dealing with witness handling and evidential submissions in more complex cases, including rape and serious sexual offences work, proceeds of crime applications, case conferences with the CPS and presenting documents to juries in larger cases -experienced and busy advocate by looking at situations of greater complexity, such as the purpose of jury advocacy, and it will also act as a refresher for the more established advocate with writer's block in a tricky case

Experts can be publicly embarrassed if they are ill-prepared, or do not understand their duties to the court. Many high-profile miscarriages of justice have arisen because of the conduct of such witnesses, who have given biased evidence in favour of one party, or simply failed to understand the courts' requirements. Mark Tottenham, an experienced barrister and mediator, and award-winning writer on legal issues, has written this short and authoritative guide to the responsibilities of professional witnesses. Drawing on authorities throughout the English-speaking world, he outlines: the duties of an expert witness; the requirements of a written court report; how to prepare to give evidence in court; how to maintain a professional detachment from the client and instructing legal team; the involvement of expert witnesses in preparing pleadings and 'Scott schedules'; and the role of expert witnesses in other forums such as mediations, inquests and public inquiries.

This Special Report offers a research-based view into the importance of soft skills for modern lawyers and how law firms develop essential soft skills - whether to comply with SRA rules, to lead productive teams, to provide the best service to clients or to grow their practice. Through interviews with lawyers, leaders and human resource professionals at large and small firms, the report provides an overview of the essential soft skills required by modern lawyers, competency frameworks and insights into how best to develop them and guidance on some of the essential soft skills required. Interpersonal, emotional intelligence, communication, learning, adaptability, problem-solving, negotiation, team management, leadership and business development are amongst the soft skills explored for high-performing lawyers. This report is the guide to developing the skills needed to get ahead and stay ahead in your legal career.

"I worked in a trailer that ICE had set aside for conversations between the women and the attorneys. While we talked, their children, most of whom seemed to be between three and eight years old, played with a few toys on the floor. It was hard for me to get my head around the idea of a jail full of toddlers, but there they were." For decades, advocates for refugee children and families have fought to end the U.S. government's practice of jailing children and families for months, or even years, until overburdened immigration courts could rule on their claims for asylum. Baby Jails is the history of that legal and political struggle. Philip G. Schrag, the director of Georgetown University's asylum law clinic, takes readers through thirty years of conflict over which refugee advocates resisted the detention of migrant children. The saga began during the Reagan administration when 15-year-old Jenny Lisette Flores languished in a Los Angeles motel that the government had turned into a makeshift jail by draining the swimming pool, barring the windows, and surrounding the building with barbed wire. What became known as the Flores Settlement Agreement was still at issue years later, when the Trump administration resorted to the forced separation of families after the courts would not allow long-term jailing of the children. Schrag provides recommendations for the reform of a system that has brought anguish and trauma to thousands of parents and children. Provocative and timely, Baby Jails exposes the ongoing struggle between the U.S. government and immigrant advocates over the duration and conditions of confinement of children who seek safety in America.