Life skills and career tips for Canada's lawyers in training
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find the information you need will keep you on track. "Preparation is the key to being relaxed during the moot. You need to know your arguments inside and out and be able to anticipate what questions you might be asked," says Houlihan. "The more you can go through your submissions in practice runs, the more comfortable and confident you will be." DON'T BE AFRAID TO STALL Stalling techniques that give you extra time to think can be extremely help- ful, as long as they aren't overused. If you're truly stumped on a question, ask the judge to rephrase it. You may have completely understood what he or she was asking the first time around, but the extra 20 seconds it takes to repeat the question will let you sort out the re- sponse in your head. Don't confuse this with putting off the question. Under no circumstances should you inform the court that you will "get to it later," even if you have a carefully crafted script waiting for you in the next few pages of your notes. You should be able to move around the various parts of your argument with ease, and some judges will intentionally try to throw you off by jumping ahead. Answer them, and segue back to your original point. REMEMBER WHAT YOUR MOTHER TAUGHT YOU: MANNERS It might seem fairly obvious, but be- ing polite goes a long way. Refer to the judges by their proper title. And don't USE YOUR forget that pleasantries apply just as much to the judging panel as they do to your opposing counsel. Getting de- fensive with the voices of authority can lead you down a road that you should best avoid. "I think mooters sometimes need to remember that questions from the bench can be helpful and are really what the moot is all about," says Houli- han. So see the questions for what they are — dialogue with the court and an opportunity to help strengthen your position. From Houlihan's law school experience, "the dialogue with the bench is the area where moots are won or lost." Be aware of courtroom etiquette. Some things will differ from province to province, so ask plenty of questions in advance. Stand when addressing the panel and when being spoken to. And never walk around the courtroom — if you do, you'll be ac- cused of watching far too much Amer- ican television. REACH & REWARD Meaningful work is in your grasp at Bereskin & Parr. One of Canada's foremost IP law firms, it's also a place that values its people – and your input. And that makes Bereskin & Parr a great place to grow. We invite you to join us. www.bereskinparr.com 1.888.364.7311 32 S EPTEMBER 2008 C ANADIAN Lawy er 4STUDENTS Untitled-1 1 7/18/08 11:01:57 AM