{"id":923,"date":"2019-05-27T04:37:06","date_gmt":"2019-05-27T04:37:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kevinglover.co.nz?p=923"},"modified":"2020-07-28T00:43:34","modified_gmt":"2020-07-28T00:43:34","slug":"the-role-of-an-advocate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kevinglover.co.nz\/the-role-of-an-advocate\/","title":{"rendered":"The role of an advocate"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Barristers specialise in disputes and court work.&nbsp; A barrister has three main roles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>To provide independent advice on the prospects of success for the case;&nbsp;<\/li><li>To prepare and present the case so that it has the best possible prospects of obtaining an outcome which achieves the client\u2019s objectives; and<\/li><li>To engage in and advise on settlement discussions (as required).<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>A lawyer who I once worked for used to say, a good litigator argues the cases which they\u2019re going to win and settles the cases which they will lose.&nbsp; That sounds simple enough, but the ability to differentiate between the two situations is the real skill.&nbsp; This is judgement, in the sense of knowing how the decision-maker will approach the dispute.&nbsp; It is at the heart of all three facets of a barrister\u2019s role.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Logic and legal skills almost go without saying but are only part of the mix.&nbsp; Being able to identify a potential argument is important, but more important is knowing whether or not a Judge is likely to agree with that argument.&nbsp; Relying on a range of different arguments can obscure what might be a reasonably strong argument, and lead to the Judge doubting (even at a subconscious level) its correctness. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This involves considering how judges decide cases generally \u2013 how the Judge is likely to react to an argument or a set of facts, and reconcile those points with the merits.&nbsp; An added dimension can be how the particular Judge might respond based on their background, other cases which they have decided and their personality.&nbsp; Being part of a large chambers and being able to speak to colleagues is very helpful in that respect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Being a barrister involves anticipating reactions and being able to formulate an appropriate strategy.&nbsp; Psychology and empathy are equally vital.&nbsp; This is a matter of recognising the human dimension:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>how the other party will respond to your client\u2019s action;&nbsp;<\/li><li>levers for settlement; how a witness is likely to come across; and<\/li><li>what your client wants to achieve.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>A good advocate is one who is willing to play the long game, avoiding point-scoring for its own sake.&nbsp; While some cases , in my experience unchanneled aggression and refusal to make appropriate concessions can undermine a client\u2019s position.&nbsp; That is particularly the case bearing in mind that 95% of cases settle.&nbsp; Respecting your colleagues and having good working relationships with them, despite your respective clients\u2019 differences, can make it easier to reach a settlement which may be the most efficient course for all parties. &nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Barristers specialise in disputes and court work.&nbsp; A barrister has three main roles: To provide independent advice on the prospects of success for the case;&nbsp; To prepare and present the case so that it has the best possible prospects of obtaining an outcome which achieves the client\u2019s objectives; and To engage in and advise on settlement discussions (as required). A lawyer who I once worked for used to say, a good litigator [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[169,168,7],"tags":[351],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.4 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>The role of an advocate - Kevin Glover<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/kevinglover.co.nz\/the-role-of-an-advocate\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The role of an advocate - Kevin Glover\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Barristers specialise in disputes and court work.&nbsp; A barrister has three main roles: To provide independent advice on the prospects of success for the case;&nbsp; To prepare and present the case so that it has the best possible prospects of obtaining an outcome which achieves the client\u2019s objectives; and To engage in and advise on settlement discussions (as required). 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