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RARELY, in my experience, is a talk is so gripping and helpful that you wish it was longer. A packed Inner Temple Hall was treated to such a talk by Jonathan Sumption QC on 29 September 2009. His subject was Appellate Advocacy.
Throughout the talk he delighted the 300-strong audience with quips such as “Appellate judges are bigger than you and they hunt in packs”. These mild digs at the judges reminded everyone that this speaker was not a judge but a practising barrister like them. Jonathan shared some instructive insights into the judicial mind based on his experience. He said that judges had become less reverent of authority than in the past and that they cited fewer cases in their judgments these days. There was now a tendency to set out broad principles of law exemplified by the authorities across a range of subjects rather than applying authorities directly to the case being decided. He also noted and welcomed an increasing willingness by judges to consider the social and economic implications of their decisions in their judgments.
Starting with the premise that “Judges start with an instinctive view and work backwards to justify it”, Jonathan made some practical suggestions for skeleton arguments and oral advocacy. Here are five out of a much longer list that will be at the forefront of my mind when I appear in the Court of Appeal:
Perhaps the best question was “What can you do about the difficult judge?”. To this JS said “You can’t force him to listen, you can only hope he makes a real mess of the judgment. It is good to lose as comprehensively and unfairly as possible to make it easier in the Court of Appeal”. Alas, that such this excellent advice should be of such small comfort in civil work – with permission to appeal nearly always required, the judge rarely giving it and the costs of seeking permission from the Court of Appeal so high, the difficult judge may well escape his come-uppance.
Starting with the premise that “Judges start with an instinctive view and work backwards to justify it”, Jonathan made some practical suggestions for skeleton arguments and oral advocacy. Here are five out of a much longer list that will be at the forefront of my mind when I appear in the Court of Appeal:
Perhaps the best question was “What can you do about the difficult judge?”. To this JS said “You can’t force him to listen, you can only hope he makes a real mess of the judgment. It is good to lose as comprehensively and unfairly as possible to make it easier in the Court of Appeal”. Alas, that such this excellent advice should be of such small comfort in civil work – with permission to appeal nearly always required, the judge rarely giving it and the costs of seeking permission from the Court of Appeal so high, the difficult judge may well escape his come-uppance.
RARELY, in my experience, is a talk is so gripping and helpful that you wish it was longer. A packed Inner Temple Hall was treated to such a talk by Jonathan Sumption QC on 29 September 2009. His subject was Appellate Advocacy.
Throughout the talk he delighted the 300-strong audience with quips such as “Appellate judges are bigger than you and they hunt in packs”. These mild digs at the judges reminded everyone that this speaker was not a judge but a practising barrister like them. Jonathan shared some instructive insights into the judicial mind based on his experience. He said that judges had become less reverent of authority than in the past and that they cited fewer cases in their judgments these days. There was now a tendency to set out broad principles of law exemplified by the authorities across a range of subjects rather than applying authorities directly to the case being decided. He also noted and welcomed an increasing willingness by judges to consider the social and economic implications of their decisions in their judgments.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
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