Seems to be very quiet on the blogging front - is everyone hibernating?
The biggest surprise for me on the BVC so far is how bad I am at advocacy. Shockingly bad. I lead in examination in chief, can't move questioning along without useless questions, don't ask 'tight' enough questions in cross and generally don't seem to be too convinced by my own submissions.
This is a surprise to me because, having gone into the BVC because I was attracted to advocacy I may have assumed I would have some sort of natural talent. Alas, no!
I may also need to work harder at it. Natural talent would only take you so far, in any case.
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7 comments:
I am exactly the same.
Infact I shock myself at times with how sh*t I am and how flustered I get. Esp as i have always been a really good public speaker.
Comes with practice I am told. :|
I am also struggling. My last attempt was hideous; some of my fellow students are still in therapy ! I also have trouble convincing myself of my own arguments. I wonder whether this might be the key to so much of it. Once you are confident in what you are doing, you are most likely to appear more confident in the delivery. Well, that's what I am telling myself.
Mel, Only you could stop blogging for a month and then come back complaining that its all gone quiet!
Next Time BB is up for some advocacy, hot foot it over to his provider and watch with wonder and amazement.
It will cheer you up no end.
Glad that you are still about, and any news of the old New Yorky thing?
Any good food you can tell us about?
Keep on truckin
swizz
Much as you would be welcome at my next advocacy trainwreck, I believe discussions are now underway between my course provider and the Holborn constabulary for the installation of a cordon sanitaire, in order to protect the innocent from having to suffer from the drivel. In my own defence, rather than that of my client (who would probably be grateful if I simply kept shtum) I would like to say that it may have been bollox but it was definitely first rate bollox.
(((((MEL!!!))))) I am So GLAD to see you!!!
I'm totally with Ginge on this one; I find the ease with which I beome completely nerve wracked and flustered during the course of EIC , leading the wretched Witness up and down the Garden Path - and indeed all around the P*ss Pot-( ask NOT of Cross - what a nightmare!!!!! EEEEEE!!) quite gobsmacking. This is confusing, because, just like Ginge, I have absolutely no problem whatsoever with public speaking.
Practice makes perfect - do you rehearse yourself before you speak? I found that 10 minutes wandering about talking to myself ( often in front of a mirror) did me the world of good!
PS: My Dear BarBoy - I refer you to the speeches of Mr Justice Mumby, who as a QC, suceeded, with considerable flair, in reducing the ENTIRE Judicial Comittee of the House of Lords variously to tears, and to a catatonic stupor, so take heart! You have the makings of a truly stoking advocate! Give it time, patience, and practice!!!!!
( here's a thought; why dont you podcast something that you have already done - a plea in mitigation or some such, and let us all hear what you have to say so that we can try and help?)
Hello all!
Ginge, practice sounds like a lot of work!
Bar Boy, I don't normally have problems appearing confident - perhaps flagging after the reading week! In a way, I'm glad I'm not alone.
Swiss! You know what, my technical ineptitude has done me in again, I thought I had set up one of those feeds/subscription thingies so that I got new posts, back when it really was quiet in blog-world, which has obviously proved useless! Still, how has everyone been?!
Expecting to hear re New York this week or next. Eeek!
Minxy my dear! Fare thee well?
I think you have hit the nub of my issue. Whilst the chap in my class who amazes us every week with his fantastic advocacy abilities seems to spend rather a long time practising, I tend to do most of my prep on the old Northern line.
The standard of my advocacy performances have, thus far, been directly correlated to whether I got a seat that morning or not (harder to read when trying to hold on to something!).
Next week, I shall amaze them all! I shall have to, it's formal feedback week - eeek again!
It will come with time... I still cringe when I think of my first cross....I reduced my entire class to a rowdy rabble of laughers and heckles with my aggressive and out of control stance... (*blushes still with the shame of it*) but by the time exams came round I got a respectable 81% so there is hope for you, i promise!!
Also practice is the key - providing it is not over rehearsed... that can be just as bad!!!
LL
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