Product Description

Advocacy is like lion taming. There are well-meaning books on how to do it, but there is no substitute for going in among the lions. Every day someone gets eaten. Every day some unfortunate solicitor or barrister is berated by a judge in court and made to look small. In this book Jan Davies provides invaluable tips for those setting out on a career as a criminal advocate, whether as a barrister or as a solicitor with rights of audience. Using her own 20 years experience, she provides practical advice on: - court etiquette and convention - how to stay on the right side of the legal aid process - dealing with the CPS and police - ways to ask for an adjournement - the Dos and Don ts of bail applications - plea before venue and committal - ethical issues - preparing for trial in the Crown Court - trial strategy and tactics - sentencing With supplementary sections on Bad Character applications and Hearsay provisions, and predictions about the future of criminal advocacy, this is an invaluable survival guide for criminal advocates.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #95800 in Books
• Published on: 2007-09-30
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 96 pages

Review
"This is a strange little book and one that you might easily miss. DO NOT MISS IT - this is my favourite book of 2007 and it costs under a tenner. In essence it is like having a wise mentor at your fingertips, offering valuable advice wrapped up in humour. Those new to this strange world of criminal law will find it invaluable, those slightly longer in the tooth highly amusing; I didn't stop laughing for a full 2 hours reading it. Quite unique, very readable. Buy it." --Andrew Keogh, crimeline.info

From the Back Cover
Advocacy is like lion taming. There are well-meaning books on how to do it, but there is no substitute for going in among the lions. Every day someone gets eaten. Every day some unfortunate solicitor or barrister is berated by a judge in court and made to look small.
In this book Jan Davies provides invaluable tips for those setting out on a career as a criminal advocate, whether as a barrister or as a solicitor with rights of audience. Using her own 20 years experience, she provides practical advice on:

- court etiquette and convention
- how to stay on the right side of the legal aid process
- dealing with the CPS and police
- ways to ask for an adjournement
- the Dos and Don'ts of bail applications
- plea before venue and committal
- ethical issues
- preparing for trial in the Crown Court
- trial strategy and tactics
- sentencing

With supplementary sections on Bad Character applications and Hearsay provisions, and predictions about the future of criminal advocacy, this is an invaluable survival guide for criminal advocates.

About the Author
Jan Davies has been engaged in criminal advocacy for over 20 years. From 2001-2007 she was a senior crown prosecutor at CPS Abingdon. She currently practises in both magistrates and crown courts, mainly instructed by members of Reading Solicitors Chambers.

Customer Reviews

Excellent guide for the newly qualified
As a newly qualified i have spent hundreds of pounds on books in preparation for 'getting on my feet', but this has to be one of the most valued books now gracing my bookshelf. Its full of handy hints and tips which are proving invaluable, its also nice to know that you are not the only one who feels like thay have been thrown to the lions! I would recommend this to all trainee solicitors, newly qualifieds and a copy should grace every firms library.

Bit of a luxury rather than essential
Some useful tips and reminders and it is humourous and well written. But its a very thin, anecdotal book and if you're just starting out in the Mags Court and have a limited budget it won't be a great asset. More a humourous stocking-filler than a true survival guide. But if you have the money to spend, it's a nice read.

Not that helpful or practical
While this book's conversational style makes it accessible, I found it to be mainly composed of whimsical, slightly opinionated musings. If a particular tip was useful it seemed to be by chance rather than careful design. Reading it doesn't make you any more prepared for a real life hearing. You won't return to it after reading it once.

New practitioners looking for easy reference, practical guidance would be better advised to invest in the advocacy titles by James Welsh and Noel Shaw, which continue to be relevant although dating from 2003 and 1996 respectively. For a pocket guide of up to date law that you can actually have with you in court, I would suggest Andrew Keogh's Blackstones Magistrates Handbook.