Advanced Advocacy Course presented by the Bar in South Africa

Advanced Advocacy training → Gallery → Teacher-Training weekend

The GCB will hold its third advanced advocacy course from 7-12 January 2013, at the Wallenberg Centre, Stellenbosch University, in the scenic Cape wine-lands.

The course

It is similar to advanced courses that are presented by the Australian and London Bars
It is a residency course that takes place over 6 days - from Monday to Saturday afternoon
The object of the course is to develop advanced advocacy skills among junior advocates by the use of the training method known as - 'The Method'
Junior advocates perform the main advocacy skills, opening and closing addresses, leading and cross-examining witnesses, including expert witnesses
Performances by advocates are subjected to reviews, including video reviews by seasoned advocacy teachers
Training is conducted in groups of no more than 8 advocates and 3 - 4 teachers per group
It is an advanced course. So expect a rigorous, intensive, demanding but enjoyable course that allows you to develop advocacy skills essential for practice, while at the same time improving the quality and standard of advocacy among junior advocates, improving the delivery of legal services and strengthening the Rule of Law in our country
Advance preparation is required, entailing the submission of written documents before the course commences

The course content includes the following:

A case analysis session on the Monday afternoon in which participants participate in a collective case analysis of a civil/commercial trial action
A trial exercise that requires participants to perform opening addresses, closing argument, examination in chief and cross-examination of witnesses on Tuesday and Wednesday, culminating in a full trial on the Saturday morning
An expert witness exercise from the Thursday to Friday afternoon. This involves an accounting problem requiring consultation with and examination in chief and cross examination of expert witnesses from Deloitte
An ethics exercise requiring the discussion of common ethical problems encountered by junior advocates in practice
Every day is preceded by a presentation/demonstration on/of the exercises to take place the following day by senior advocacy teachers and by accountants from Deloitte
There is a gala dinner on the Friday evening

Click here to download the Program for more detail on the course.

Applications have now closed.

Faculty

The training is conducted by experienced advocacy teachers. They are predominantly Judges and silks from the Bars of South Africa, Australia and England and Wales and a performance coach who focuses on improving the performance skills of advocates

Participants

The course is aimed at advocates of between 5 - 15 years' standing
The course is limited to 40 advocates
It is open to advocates from the constituent Bars of the GCB, advocates who litigate and are employed by state institutions and litigation practitioners or specialists from the SADC region

Cost

The course fee is R 10 000,00
The fee is inclusive of everything except airfares to Cape Town and includes:
- All course materials and training
- Accommodation at attractive guesthouses near the Wallenberg Centre in Stellenbosch
- Transfers between Cape Town International Airport and Stellenbosch
- 3 meals and 2 teas daily and the gala dinner
- Morning Yoga session to kick start the training each day

More Information

Sherrie Leigh Lowe
Advocacy Training Administrator

Useful links

Photos from the 2012 Course

The Accountants:
Back Row: Left to Right: Trevor Caizergues, Ryno Pepler, Navin Sing, Jan Peyper, Simon de Quidt
Front Row: Left to Right: Refilwe Legodi, Zoe van der Spuy, Kate Butler, Estie Steyn, Sandra Rennie

The Faculty:
Back row: from Left to Right: Judge Michael Stegmann, Lucy Cornell (Aus Performance Coach), Sherrie Leigh Lowe (Advocacy Training Administrator, GCB), Simon De Quidt (Deloitte UK), Christopher Whitcutt SC, Deanne Wood, Oba Nsugbe QC (UK), Amber Darr (Pakistan), Izak Smuts SC, Willie Duminy SC, John Pammenter SC, Jennifer Witts (SA Performance Coach), Anesta Weekes QC (UK), Judge Graham Lopes, Justice Malcolm Wallis, Emiel Van Vuuren, Justice David Boddice (Aus).
Front row: Left to Right: Jeremy Muller SC (Treasurer GCB), Rudi Van Rooyen SC, Ben Katekar (Aus), Timothy Bruinders SC (Course Coordinator GCB), Sven Olivier SC, Jannie Van Der Merwe, Judge Trevor Gorven, Judge Johann Kriegler.