Tuesday Tips : 5 honest pieces of advice for lawyers

1. Beware the slim brief

2. When you know you will be cross examining a difficult witness always wear colour coordinated underwear and red lipstick. The latter unnerves the witness and the former gives you confidence.

3. When in a trial with a large number of advocates and a huge bundle of case papers, always read the most obscure report that no one else will have bothered with. Refer to it frequently in negotiations outside court and in cross examination. It will make the other advocates think you know the case better than them and they will constantly be on edge thinking you have some killer point up your sleeve.

4. When, in cross examination, you get an answer you don’t want or don’t know what to do with, pause dramatically, look meaningfully at the judge and very deliberately say, ‘yes, I’ll come back to THAT later.’ (Then never do).

5. When a judge is being unreasonably rude to you, just stop and say, ‘I appear to have upset your honour, would you like a minute?’