Be the Best You In Court

DRESS APPROPRIATELY

• dark is the colour

• dark pants or skirt suit

• plain shirts

• ties shouldn't be too busy

NO JEANS, NO TRAINERS, LIMIT YOUR JEWELLERY, KEEP HAIR OUT OF YOUR FACE SO YOU’RE NOT FIDDLING WITH IT, NAILS AT A PROFESSIONAL LENGTH AND ONE YOU CAN WORK WITH

USE THE CORRECT FORMS OF ADDRESS

• your opponent - ‘my learned friend’

• district judges (civil and criminal) and tribunals - ‘sir/madam-more than one- ‘the court/you sir and you colleagues’

• circuit judges - ‘your honor’-court of appeal judges- ‘my lord/my lady’

BE ORGANISED

• create a bundle + be familiar with it, add tabs to it and label them

• know your care facts well

• be on time

• have extra copies just in case

REMAIN CALM

• breathe at an appropriate pace

• if having a panic attack-ask for a few seconds

• speak at appropriate tone, speed + volume

REMEMBER THE JUDGE IS NOT ‘OUT TO GET YOU’!

• the judge thinks you are doing well and have nothing against you

• they have been in your shoes at some point before

• just be respectful and honest

Follow me on Instagram - @SharonAtTheBar

Sharon Shumbambiri.