Legal Advocacy Training

Speak in the courtroom with clarity, confidence and control under pressure.

"I have seen Lucy change a chrysalis into a butterfly in one 20 minute session. As far as I am aware, Lucy has the only practice that coaches delivery skills to advocates using her tried, tested and proven methodology. Remarkable."

Ian Robertson-Clark S.C.

Barrister of 30 years call | Chair, Advocacy Training Council 2016-25 Australian Bar Association

"Lucy Cornell has been an inspiration to barristers in England and Australia. Her brilliant techniques have been a revelation and are highly recommended to all those who aspire to practise the art of advocacy."

The Rt Hon Lord Mr. Justice Charles Haddon-Cave, QBD

Judge of the Court of Appeal and Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales | Past Chairman of the Advocacy Training Council of the Bar of England and Wales 2007–2010

"Your contribution to the our Advanced Trial Advocacy Program in South Africa left an indelible impression on all who attended. Voice and performance coaching should in my view form an integral part of all advocacy training. In me, you have an enthusiastic, if not fanatical supporter."

Justice Johann Kriegler

Former Constitutional Court and Appeal Court Judge, South Africa

"I have had the pleasure of working with Lucy Cornell and her team on 11 advocacy training courses, in 4 different jurisdictions over 8 years. She is not only technically outstanding but has a deep understanding of the philosophy which underlines the purpose and ethics of advocacy and has inexhaustible inter-personal skills. She has transformed, immeasurably, the quality of the training that we have been giving."

Edwin Glasgow CBE QC

Past Chairman of UK ATC and past President of IATC

Legal Advocacy Training

Speak in the courtroom with clarity, confidence and control under pressure.

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Ian Robertson-Clark S.C.

Barrister of 30 years call | Chair, Advocacy Training Council 2016-25 Australian Bar Association

The Rt Hon Lord Mr. Justice Charles Haddon-Cave, QBD

Judge of the Court of Appeal and Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales | Past Chairman of the Advocacy Training Council of the Bar of England and Wales 2007–2010

Justice Johann Kriegler

Former Constitutional Court and Appeal Court Judge, South Africa

Edwin Glasgow CBE QC

Past Chairman of UK ATC and past President of IATC

The only custom designed voice
methodology for legal advocates

Over 20 years, we have tuned and tested our methodology alongside remarkable advocacy teachers, judges and courtroom advocates who take part in the world’s leading advocacy programs.

Taught thousands of legal advocates globally

Our team has taught thousands of legal advocates in 7 international jurisdictions in criminal and civil advocacy for all levels from graduate to appellate advocates.

Curated a specialist faculty of international voice coaches for legal advocates

Each of our team has a minimum of 20 years teaching experience and are internationally recognised as Masters of voice and speaking performance. We are equipped to translate our techniques for legal advocates to suit the demands of the courtroom.

The only custom designed voice
methodology for legal advocates

Over 20 years, we have tuned and tested our methodology alongside remarkable advocacy teachers, judges and courtroom advocates who take part in the world’s leading advocacy programs.

Taught thousands of legal advocates globally

Our team has taught thousands of legal advocates in 7 international jurisdictions in criminal and civil advocacy for all levels from graduate to appellate advocates.

Curated a specialist faculty of international voice coaches for legal advocates

Our Approach

We believe that oral advocacy is equally substantive and energetic. For this reason, we have an integrated approach to teaching advocates by teaching voice and performance skills alongside substantive legal coaching and inside the courtroom.

Oral advocacy in court is more than an intellectual act. It is also physical, emotional, psychological and energetic.

Most advocates are educated in the substantive matter of court, yet receive little education in voice or performance skills to manage this significant component of advocacy.

The courtroom is a physically contained, high-pressured, energetically-charged space, constructed as such to enable the fair carriage of justice.

Within this demanding environment, advocates need to do more than simply argue their case. They need to also:

be agile enough to take into account and adjust to the receptivity of the judge,
listen actively to witnesses, reading their body and voice as well as words, so they can pivot tactically to their responses,
manage the intellectual and emotional pressure of thinking on your feet,
communicate that they have significance and presence under pressure or uncertainty,
manage their own internal narrative, emotional state and performance anxiety.

Most adults (including advocates) have speaking habits that compromise the voice. In turn, these limit their presence, reduce their natural expressivity and disconnect them from their innate ability to influence.

Our training addresses these habits, reconnecting advocates to their voice, body, breath, thoughts and feelings to be able listen, choose and articulate in the constantly dynamic act of speaking in court.

Our Approach

Oral advocacy in court is more than an intellectual act. It is also physical, emotional, psychological and energetic.

Most advocates are educated in the substantive matter of court, yet receive minimal education in voice or performance skills to manage this significant component of advocacy.

The courtroom is a physically dense, high-pressured, energetically-charged space, constructed as such to enable the fair carriage of justice.

Within this demanding environment, advocates need to do more than simply argue their case. They need to also:

be agile enough to take into account and adjust to the receptivity of the judge,
listen actively to witnesses, reading their body and voice s well as words, so they can pivot tactically to their responses,
manage the intellectual and emotional pressure of thinking on your feet,
communicate that they have significance and presence under pressure or uncertainty,
manage their own internal narrative, emotional state and performance anxiety.

Most adults (including advocates) have speaking habits that limit their presence and the natural expressivity and innate influence of the voice required to navigate these demands of the courtroom.

Our training connects advocates to their voice, body, breath, thoughts and feelings to be able influence in the constantly dynamic act of speaking in court.

Global Experience

Our specialised team has taught voice and performance skills for legal advocates in seven jurisdictions internationally since 2007.

United States of America
Florida Bar

United Kingdom
Bar of England and Wales Keble Course

South Africa
South African Bar

Singapore
Singapore Law Society,
Attorney General’s Department

Australia
Australian Bar Association,
National Judiciary College of Australia

New Zealand
New Zealand Bar

Malaysia
International Advocacy Training Council Conference

Our Voice and Performance Skills Programs

For National Trial Advocacy Programs

Plenary Session

1 hour plenary session introducing fundamental principles of voice and performance skills for the courtroom, delivered by Lucy Cornell.
Theoretical concepts and practical take-aways to apply immediately to the courtroom. When part of a National Trial advocacy program, these skills will be investigated more deeply in individual coaching sessions and inside the courtroom with fellow participants.

Individual Voice Coaching

For advocates taking part in an established trial advocacy program run by a national advocacy organisation.
Every advocate involved in the program receives a private 20 minute individual voice coaching session to address their personal needs and will receive tailored techniques to support their needs. These sessions are scheduled into the course program and run in parallel to the legal, substantive reviews.
Delivered by the specialist Cornell Voice faculty - typically, 1 coach per 15 participants.
Advocates are then supported by the voice coaching team to apply their learnings immediately into their 'home, mock courtroom' working alongside their fellow advocates and legal coaching faculty.

Delivery Skills for Advocacy Trainers

Integrated into a ‘train the advocacy trainer’ program run by a national advocacy organisation, we offer feedback to advocacy trainers to help them develop more effective communication and teaching styles when delivering feedback to advocate participants in trial advocacy programs.
Trainer participants receive individual feedback in the 'home, mock courtroom' and the opportunity to apply their learnings in replay to the group.

In-Court Masterclasses

Delivery Skills for Court Advocates

This 4 hour masterclass is for legal advocates who appear in court, giving them valuable 'on your feet' experience of speaking in court. Where available, we work in superior courtrooms to experience the real energy of the courts.
Participants learn the fundamental principles of speaking in court and the technical aspects of impactful delivery in the courtroom, including voice, control, nerves, space, body, connection, listening, breath, energy and dynamics.
Participants bring a recent submission: opening, closing or examination. Each participant has some individual time to deliver their submission, receive feedback and reply. Fellow participants play the other roles in the court to experience what is impactful.
Limited to 20 legal advocates with 2 specialist Cornell Voice facilitators for high-touch, personalised attention.

Delivery Skills for Female Advocates

This 4 hour masterclass is for female advocates who appear in court, giving them valuable 'on your feet' experience of speaking in court. Where available, we work in superior courtrooms to experience the real energy of the courts.
We have had enough experience to know that this program is warranted, providing women practical strategies to navigate dominant communication styles, be heard in court, to manage push back and confrontation and to speak with agency and without apology.
Participants learn the fundamental principles of speaking in court and the technical aspects of impactful delivery in the courtroom, including voice, control, nerves, space, body, connection, listening, breath, energy and dynamics.
Participants bring a recent submission: opening, closing or examination. Each participant has some individual time to deliver their submission, receive feedback and reply. Fellow participants play the other roles in the court to experience what is impactful.
Limited to 20 legal advocates with 2 specialist Cornell Voice facilitators for high-touch, personalised attention.

Courtroom
Skills Intensive

In this 2 day intensive, 10 advocates will spend time in a mock courtroom to enhance their spoken advocacy for court.
The program explores advanced techniques for crafting a legal argument then looks at approaches to deliver it clearly and persuasively, focusing on cross examination and closing submissions. It is a combination of lectures and individual feedback sessions in a masterclass style format.

Facilitated by 2 internationally reputable advocacy trainers; Lucy Cornell on delivery skills and Ben Katekar SC on substantive argument.

Download Legal Programs Prospectus

Our training helps legal advocates to:

Have confidence and gravitas in court

Speak audibly, clearly and deliberately under pressure

Find the balance of arguing your case dispassionately, while persuading the court

Think quickly and clearly on your feet

Manage performance anxiety and nerves in court

Acknowledge and navigate the emotional energy of the courtroom

Have vocal expressivity to engage the jury

Have versatility to deal with the unpredictability of examining witnesses

Be intellectually agile to engage with the bench

Legal Advocacy Voice Coaching Team

Our specialist team of 8 voice and performance coaches each have at least 20 years teaching experience working internationally in business, academia, theatres and courtrooms. Their skills are a culmination of training with the world’s leaders in voice for acting: Kirstin Linklater, Cicely Berry, Catherine Fitzmaurice, Patsy Rodenburg and the legacy of Moshe Feldenkrais, Roy Hart and FM Alexander.