Training Irish Advocates - A Purpose, a Pint, and a Promise

Greetings from the Emerald Isle!
For the last two days an intrepid group of trainers from Stetson University, in collaboration with our good friends at University College Dublin, have been engaging in a two day advocacy workshop teaching persuasive storytelling, direct examination, cross examination, and closing arguments.

Our crew of trainers has included Prof. Michele Joiner, Prof. Kandice Horsey, Associate Dean Stephanie Vaughan,   Ms. Erika McArdle (formerly Wilson), Ms. Gillian More, and Mr. Patrick McArdle - I think I may have been there as well!

We have been blessed to return to University College, Dublin for a second year to share some thoughts and techniques about trial advocacy and the art of persuasion. Our colleagues at UCD have welcomed us with open arms and made our trip a true joy. Over 84 lawyers signed up for our training and it has been a jam packed experience. I've included links to the program we presented and the case file we used if you are interested in perusing them.
TTV v. 4GGE Case File (UK)
Ireland 2015 - Advocacy Training Program

We also supported our training with supplemental materials to assist our students in developing their advocacy skills. If you are interested in seeing how we went about doing so take a look at the following links:

Trial Advocacy Channel - Youtube

Stetson Advocacy Resource Center

Not only have our hosts been most gracious, but the students are engaged, attentive and inquisitive. Their thirst for an advocacy experience and commitment to increasing their own individual skills is an energizing thing to see. Our discussions have been far ranging, our demonstrations most adept, and the small group sessions (some of which are still going on as I write this) are fine examples of collaborative adult learning at its best.
Stetson programs are designed to share our thoughts about what makes for a superior advocacy learning experience in a collaborative fashion where we learn as much as we teach. That has definitely been the case here in Ireland. When we leave tomorrow to begin our summer comparative advocacy course in Oxford I will take with me the energy and graciousness of our students here, as well as a commitment to continue teaching advocacy whenever and wherever we have a chance to do so. It is in those moments when a student gets it that we find ourselves growing as teachers of advocacy. There have been many such moments here over the last two days.

Programs such as this are not possible with the support of the administration of the law school, and I wish to thank Dean Pietruszkiewicz for supporting our efforts in bringing Advocacy teaching overseas. I would also like to personally thank J.R. Swanegan, the director of our International Programs at Stetson. J.R. is a rockstar who works collaboratively with anyone who comes into his office with a good idea. If you run an advocacy program at your university and are thinking about these types of endeavors find the international program director and take them to lunch - if you have J.R. magic will ensue.
At Stetson we believe that collaborative sharing across disciplines, platforms, and even cultures, is the hallmark of superior approach to teaching and development. This allows us to find a source of energy and excitement in hard work, letting us rest "good tired" as Harry Chapin would say, at the end of the day - because we have fought our battles, for the things in which we believe, in the way that we believe - that is a day when you wind up "good tired."
I will be blogging from Oxford next week, filling you in on our comparative advocacy course and the impact that such premiere instructors as Joshua Karton, Gillian More, Kandice Horsey, Michele Joiner, Lee Coppock, Lou Fasulo, Carlos Concepcion, A.J. Belido de Luna and yours truly have on the impressionable young minds waiting for the Stetson advocacy experience.

All the best,

CR