Hyderabad|India|June'2009: Speaking in public terrifies a lot of people.It is a universal problem and Legal professionals are no exception.Unfortunately, this skill is not taught in law school. In order to offer a solution and fill the wide gap, Hyderabad based Media Junction is planning to organise a first of its kind "Legally Speaking" - a Public Speaking, Oral arguments, Persuasion and Impression Management Workshop" in Hyderabad. This will be held for Attorneys, Lawyers, Legal Professionals and others from June 11 to 14 at its premises at Musheerabad in Hyderabad.

The workshop will be conducted by Media and Public Relations Consultant and Public Speaking enthusiast D.Ramchandram, who has hundreds of workshops to his credit. The classes will be held conveniently in the evenings. The fee for the workshop is Rs.3000/-and limited number of 12 to 15 are allowed per batch in order to provide individual attention. For more information and registration, please contact Media Junction on mobile: 098488-42471 or email: mediajunction@yahoo.com

Fear of Public Speaking is universal. And Speaking is unavoidable for lawyers. Every time, attorneys address a client, a jury, a judge or any other audience, they need to make a lasting and favourable impression. They must make an effective presentation. But, unfortunately law degree cannot automatically confer this skill set and the ability to communicate effectively. Even the best of the best law schools do little to prepare lawyers for this skill.

Practicing Law is immensely challenging. According to a news reports published there are 50,163 cases pending as of March 31, 2009 in Supreme Court alone. And 38.7 lakh cases in 21 high courts across India. 2.6 crore cases are pending in trial courts. Inadequate staff further complicates the matter. The 21 high courts are working with a strength of 635 judges as against a sanctioned strength of 886. The trial courts too face the shortage. As against 16,685 sanctioned strength, they have 14,556 judges. Because of this judges have to hear more cases, some times more than 80 cases per day. In such a situation, an advocate has to make more impact with arguments in the most shortest possible time. Good presentation skills add to their strengths and prove to be advantageous.

Attorneys, Lawyers devote good amount of time preparing the case, but, very little attention is paid for its presentation. As a result, the presentation for which months and years are spent is often presented in a flat, flavorless and fruitless manner.

The workshop is the confidence building activity for lawyers to teach them effective public speaking skills. The four day workshop covers Video Counselling, Power of your words, Body Language, Public Speaking Attraction, Content Building, Effective Closing, Speech Preparation, Impromptu Speeches etc. and others. It is a very interactive and out and out practical program.

It is an ideal workshop for lawyers to express themselves as effectively as possible when speaking with clients or in front of judges, jurors and arbitrators.

This workshop will teach basic and advanced public speaking techniques. Learn to use your voice, words and body to enhance your presentation style and get your message heard. This program will drastically improve the oral presentation and public speaking skills of the participants. Many legal professionals have already undergone the program.

The advocates need to enhance their communication skills, whether they appear in court or in private meetings with judges, clients, opposing counsel, or arbitrators. It is the most sought after skill for legal professionals. It's an extremely important for all legal professionals to learn how to "gain their audience's attention, hold that attention,
and then clearly relay their information."

Over the last four years since Effective Public Speaking skills workshops first started Media Junction has trained hundreds of Politicians, Academic, Faculty, Corporate Executives, Legal Professionals, Home Makers and Students.

Vijay, a practicing advocate who has undergone the program said it has really helped him "improve his impromptu speaking skills—which has directly helped him improve his cross-examination skills."

Alternatively law students and practicing lawyers can also join in Toastmasters International, classes, which provides numerous opportunities to sharpen their public speaking skills. Additionally advocates can improve their public speaking skills by taking trial advocacy classes. Or get involved in moot court or mock trial programmes or participating frequently in law school discussions so they can become comfortable speaking in large groups of their colleagues.

We learn most by teaching, sharing. We learn just 10% by reading, 20% by hearing, 30% by seeing, 40% by seeing and hearing, 50% by discussing, 80% by experience and 95% by teaching. Advocates can also involve in teaching law to their juniors and law students in the evenings and whenever they have free time. By doing so they will dramatically improve their presentation skills.

Public Speaking as a curriculum is the most neglected subjects in most of the Indian educational institutions. Mostly this skills is left to students to learn on their own. See for instance Dale Carnegie started teaching public speaking in America in as early as 1908. Toastmasters International started a forum for practicing public speaking in 1924. But, Public Speaking as a systematic curriculum introduced to India in the recent past by Junior Chamber International in 1968. But, that is mostly confined to its members.

Though YMCA some branches across India organise some interactive sessions in a very small way, but, are not very active. Looking at the wide gap, Hyderabad based Media Junction embarked on this curriculum since May 2004. Since then it has trained over 5000 people across India and conducted about 75 workshops private and public. A thousand plus politicians who trained at Media Junction have contested in the recent polls in Andhra Pradesh. Many jailers and under trails, schools children, youth, IT students, legal professionals have immensely benefited from these programs.

The Public Speaking Trainer D.Ramchandram can be reached on his mobile: 098480-42020

Reachout's News Bureau
 June' 2009