Key takeaways from Townsville's Acing Advocacy event

| 24 Sep 2026

Ever want to ask the bench what they’re looking for in Court? Well, we did!

On 6 August 2026, the Queensland Law Society Future Leaders Committee collaborated with the Townsville District Law Association to deliver Acing Advocacy, providing law clerks and early career lawyers with guidance in preparing for and appearing in Court.

We know that appearing in the court room as an early career lawyer can be daunting, so here’s what Justice Johnstone, Judges Lynham and Kahler, Magistrate Taylor and Claire Grant KC had to say!

Tips and tricks

Nerves are good! This means you care about your job. Even the most prepared lawyer, can be nervous. Where it is appropriate, stop and take a deep breath.
Consider the use of “I understand” during submissions. There was heavy weight given to this phrase and whether or not it should be used. The phrase was seen as a bridge to say, “I haven’t undertaken the work necessary to establish whether this information is accurate, but I also don’t want to lead you down a garden path”. This leads into the next point.
Don’t be a mouthpiece for your client! Forensically test your instructions with your client. As you are an officer of the Court, you have duties to the Court. You also have duties to your clients, but the duty to the Court, is paramount.
Pick up the phone and talk to your opponent. Have. A. Conversation. Whilst this can seem daunting, you don’t know what can be achieved from a simple phone call to an opponent.

Preparing

When preparing your submissions, there is courage in conceding, where appropriate. There is strength and humility to admit that you may be wrong, or that your opponent has a stronger, or more valid, argument. Effective advocacy often involves acknowledging the weaknesses of your client’s position, before making submissions which demonstrate to the Court that what you’re asking for is an attractive outcome.
You won’t always have a strong position to advocate from, and that’s okay, but there is power in making reasonable concessions during the course of your submissions.
Ask your principal questions when you are delegated a matter to appear on. The more junior you are, the more you are likely to be hospital-passed a file / matter / court appearance etc!
For example, your more senior colleague has had an urgent matter arise and can no longer appear for Jimmy in the mention tomorrow. Your colleague tells you that the mention will only require you to request an adjournment. Easy! However, when in the Court, the Judge asks you particular details about the matter and why it is the fifth adjournment sought for the matter.
Although we are guided by senior staff, you should always read and know the file. Be prepared as much as you can for some questions to expect.
When preparing, consider what your best point is, and make it sharp and concise. Think – what do I need to advise the Court of, to obtain the outcome I am seeking? This is particularly important on those busy call over days.

Lastly, as you gain more experience in a court room, you will begin to learn your craft. It won’t happen instantly; there will be mistakes, there will be victories, there will be lows and there will be exhaustion. Remember that even the most experienced members of the profession – the bench included – followed the same path as you to get to where they are now. They’ve had tough days in Court too, it’s what you learn from them that is important.