Product Description

Based upon the text of a seminar devised by the author which has been widely acclaimed as a breakthrough in the teaching and learning of advocacy. It is based on the personal experience of the author and has been described as invaluable as a review for the experienced advocate.;Keith Evans is a member of the English and California Bars and a former head of London Chambers.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #104317 in Books
• Published on: 1993-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 127 pages

About the Author
Keith Evans is a member of the English and California Bars and a former head of London chambers. He practises on both sides of the Atlantic and is a highly regarded teacher of trial advocacy.

Customer Reviews

The Analects of Advocacy
At the beginning of this slim book Evans makes claims that cause him to sound just a trifle arrogant. Read his book two minutes a day and think about the principles set forth in the book for another eight minutes a day, and you will become an exceptionally good trial advocate. I had to smile as I read his claims. Then I read his book. It might not be quite as helpful as Evans says, but it is a very good book. I wish I had been able to read it at the beginning of my career as a trial advocate rather than at the end.

Evans dogmatically sets forth four dimensions of advocacy and follows them up with around thirty "golden rules" of advocacy, each being a pithy saying on the art of advocacy. As a recently retired American trial advocate of some thirty two years experience, I had to agree with 90% of what Evans said. This little book is an excellent introduction to advocacy for the rank beginner. It is also a great refresher for the battle scarred veteran.

Evans makes some highly perceptive observations on the rather dismal state of modern trial advocacy, and offers the "golden rules" as an antidote. Having always maintained that most lawyers win cases in spite of their efforts rather than because of them, I couldn't agree with him more.

If you're a rookie barrister, you need this book. If you're a seasoned veteran, you could use this book. It's inexpensive, easily read, and packed full of wisdom.

So much for the accolades. Now for the critique. One of the first "golden rules" is "entertain the jury." Almost right, but no cigar. I've entertained countless jurors who have voted against me and afterward come to me and told me how much they enjoyed serving and what a wonderful lawyer I was. Lawyers can do without this sort of praise. Many cases have very little entertainment value. The facts of the case are so atrocious that no right thinking person would ever be amused. You're going to strike a sour note trying to entertain in those cases. I would reword Evans' "golden rule" thus: "engage the jury." Make them care about what happened and who it happened to. If you can get them to care, they're likely to vote your way.

Secondly, Evans urges that you "never repeat yourself." Say it once and then move on. I disagree. Repetition is the cornerstone of learning. A quarterback doesn't throw just one pass in practice. He does it over and over until he perfects his technique. A teacher doesn't tell her students the multiplication table once and expect them to know it cold. It has to be repeated it over and over. As a rule of thumb, I always tried to repeat an important point three times. Hammer it home, make sure even the sleepiest juror has heard it. (Did you notice that I just made this point three times in three different ways?)

Thirdly, much of what Evans says about cross examination is overly timid. Follow his "golden rules" of cross and you won't shoot yourself in the foot, but you'll never become a first-rate cross examiner. If you want to progress beyond the rudiments of cross examination, read Stern's "Trying Cases to Win: Cross Examination" or Posner and Dodd's "Cross Examination: Science and Technique", both available from Amazon.com.

I found this book on a recent trip to England. While in London I made a pilgrimage to the Royal Courts of Justice. Upon stopping at the visitor's kiosk to buy a guidebook, I noticed this little jewel and picked it up to read on the flight home. I thought the book had to be good if it was being sold at the doorway to the Royal Courts of Justice. I was right. It is very good.

Best work on communications that I've read.
This book by Keith Evans' will benefit anyone interested in improving their ability to relate to others using the spoken word. While written for the legal profession, the work is suitable for anyone with an interest in spoken communications. Also, a very enjoyable read.

Market the book better
Excellent Book. Written by a man who uses the criteria of purpose and practicality to define if it should go into the book or not. The maxims get right to the essence as does his brief explanations.

The Only fault with the book is that it seems to be marketed exclusively for lawyers. As the previous reviewer pointed out this book is for anyone that has to present and communicate under tough conditions. It gives a mindset and a set of analytical tools which anyone from any other profession will find valuable.