An Opportunity to Learn or Refresh Court Presentation Skills
As a result of the recent pandemic, court procedures were changed and the number of live court hearings significantly reduced. One consequence is that there have been fewer opportunities, for recently qualified lawyers in particular, to experience and learn from court procedure. In order to provide an opportunity to learn or refresh court presentation skills, Edinburgh Sheriff Court will provide a short series of four presentations in March 2023. They will take place within Edinburgh Sheriff Court, 27 Chambers Street, Edinburgh.
Each presentation will comprise two or three talks, each delivered by a sheriff. The series of presentations will cover a wide range of hearings, procedures and skills. They are not designed to cover questions of substantive law. The aim of these presentations is to enhance practitioners’ professional skills in oral and written presentation of cases, and to cover topics such as conduct and presentation within court, persuasive advocacy and best practice.
Each presentation will be formatted to enable those attending to claim CPD points.
Thursday 2nd March 2023 at 4.30pm to 5.30pm
Topic: Presenting a legal argument
The aim of this presentation is to improve your skills presenting legal argument in court.
At the end of the presentation you should have improved understanding of:
– effective preparation for presenting argument in court
– effective structure for legal argument
– effective use of supporting materials
– the sheriff’s perspective
Sheriff Campbell KC and Sheriff O’Carroll
Thursday 9th March 2023 at 4.30pm to 5.30pm
Topic: Preparing for a proof – an overview
The aim of this presentation is to improve your skills in preparing for a proof.
At the end of the presentation you should have improved understanding of:
– effective preparation for a proof
– effective analysis of your case and identifying what you need to prove
– effective presentation of evidence including productions
– the need to agree evidence
– outline submissions and authorities
– the sheriff’s perspective
Sheriff Fife and Sheriff Dickson
Thursday 16th March 2023 at 4.30pm to 5.30pm
Topic: Asking better questions
The aim of this presentation is to improve your skills in examining witnesses.
You will learn how to ask both open and closed questions to build a narrative.
– planning your examination
– effective cross-examination
– effective re-examination
– the sheriff’s perspective
SheriffS Auchincloss and SheriffS Fraser
Thursday 23rd March 2023 at 4.30pm to 5.30pm
Topic: Family actions
The aim of this presentation is to improve your skills in family actions.
At the end of the presentation you should have improved understanding of:
– key rules relating to family actions
– requirements when presenting an initial writ to court
– effective conduct of a child welfare hearing
– effective use of affidavits
-.ethical issues arising in family actions
– the sheriff’s perspective
Sheriff Stirling, SheriffS Flinn and Sheriff Kelly KC
Attendance at the presentations is free, but registration is required by 12 noon on the day of the presentation.
Please register with Margaret McCrimmon at MMcCrimmon@scotcourts.gov.uk