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The Essential Advocate: An Introduction to Advocacy - LAWS3170
Graduation Group

 
Faculty: Faculty of Law
 
 
School:  Faculty of Law
 
 
Course Outline: See below
 
 
Campus: Kensington Campus
 
 
Career: Undergraduate
 
 
Units of Credit: 6
 
 
EFTSL: 0.12500 (more info)
 
 
Indicative Contact Hours per Week: 3
 
 
Enrolment Requirements:
 
 
Prerequisites: LAWS1210, LAWS2311, LAWS1001; Corequisite: LAWS2321, LAWS1011; Excluded: LAWS3318 Prerequisites: JURD7110, JURD7211, JURD7101; Corequisite: JURD7221, JURD7111; Excluded: JURD7418
 
 
Excluded: JURD7370
 
 
CSS Contribution Charge:Band 3 (more info)
 
 
Tuition Fee:See Tuition Fee Schedule
 
 
Further Information: See Class Timetable
 
 

Description

The course is a practical introduction to courtroom advocacy. Students will be exposed to examples of various types of advocates and advocacy techniques and problems found in leading cases, trial transcripts, novels, plays, films, and biographies of advocates. Much of the course is devoted to practical exercises.

Recommended Prior Knowledge

Pre-requisites are Law, Lawyers and Society; Litigation 1; Criminal Law 1. Completion of Litigation 2 and Criminal Law 2 is recommended but not required. Litigation 2 and Criminal Law 2, however, will be co-requisites for students who have not completed them.

Course Objectives

The course aims to foster an understanding of:
  • the essential attributes of great advocates
  • the role of the advocate within the trial process
  • case theory and preparation
  • the skills and techniques of the trial advocate
  • the interaction between rules of evidence and the examination of witnesses
  • the nature of appellate advocacy.

Main Topics

The main topics to be discussed are:
  • Essential qualities and skills of advocates
  • Advocacy as the art of persuasion
  • The problems of advocacy: ethics and misconduct
  • Preparation for trial
  • Case theory
  • Evidentiary and procedural issues in practice
  • Opening and closing addresses
  • Examination-in-chief and objections
  • Cross-examination
  • The use of written and oral submissions
  • Sentences
  • Appeals

Assessment

50 per cent for the course essay: 5000 words
10 per cent for court visits and diary notes
40 per cent for practical advocacy exercises (including mock trial)

Course Texts

Prescribed

Mauet & McCrimmon Fundamentals of Trial Techniques

Recommended
Refer to Course Outline provided by lecturer.

Resources

Refer to Course Outline provided by lecturer.

URL for this page:

© The University of New South Wales (CRICOS Provider No.: 00098G), 2004-2011. The information contained in this Handbook is indicative only. While every effort is made to keep this information up-to-date, the University reserves the right to discontinue or vary arrangements, programs and courses at any time without notice and at its discretion. While the University will try to avoid or minimise any inconvenience, changes may also be made to programs, courses and staff after enrolment. The University may also set limits on the number of students in a course.