WRITTEN ADVOCACY COURSES

"Out of intense complexities intense simplicities emerge. Broadly speaking, the short words are the best, and the old words when short are best of all." — Winston Churchill

In the context of contemporary international arbitration practice, the above could be restated thus: advocacy is the art of simplifying; the clearer and more concise the advocacy, the more persuasive and memorable it is, all the more so given that arbitrators are faced with a sea of written materials; and words have meaning and history, which can be marshalled into telling our side's story.

The three written advocacy courses unpack what it takes to be a persuasive advocate by taking participants through the building blocks of effective writing. Each course features an international faculty of seasoned counsel, who also sit as arbitrators. The courses involve the preparation of and feedback on several writing samples relevant to counsel practice. The courses finally double up as introductions to topical dispute subject matters, under the broad headings of M&A, ESG and energy.

Participants may choose to complete their learning experience by preparing a blog post for the Kluwer Arbitration Blog.

COURSE STRUCTURE & CONTENTS

The written advocacy courses follow the same structure. Each course lasts 2.5 months and is delivered remotely. Each course is built around a topical example so that participants may explore different facets of it through their writing assignments.

Each course comprises three modules. A module focuses on a specific aspect of writing, involves a writing exercise and relatedly additional drafting learning outcomes, which are all discussed on a kick-off call at the start of the module. Modules conclude with small group discussions of the writing samples produced by the participants. The topics of the modules across the three courses are as follows: 

• Part I on M&A disputes (mid-September to November 2023)

1.    Referring to evidence, witness statements, expert reports
2.   Procedural correspondence, with a focus on document production
3.   Style & voices

Set example for the writing exercises: the Twitter acquisition saga in 2022

• Part II on ESG disputes (Q1 2024)

1.    Rigour
2.   Concision
3.   Cultural variations, including common law/civil law perspectives

• Part III on energy disputes (Q2 2024)

1.    Structure and the importance of the table of contents
2.   Introductions and prayers for relief
3.   Use of images, similes and metaphors

The group sessions on the courses will typically cover ET and CET time zones or CET and SGT time zones, depending on the location of the faculty, and last 60mn. 

At the end of each course, participants and faculty gather with a leading practitioner for a fireside chat on war stories relating to advocacy, and an online social event.

Finally, for participants who wish to take the experience of the courses further, we have arranged a partnership with the Kluwer Arbitration Blog: following an orientation session, including as to suitable topics for publication, participants can prepare and submit an article in their own time; the Kluwer Arbitration Blog editorial team will look forward to receiving your piece, although there is obviously no guarantee of publication.

GENERAL TRACK & TAILORED TRACK

The courses are organised into two tracks: a general track, and a tailored track for more experienced participants looking to practice their management, judgement and feedback-giving skills.

Participants are organised into study groups, with longer deadlines for the more tailored-track participants to submit their writing samples (who can accordingly take the benefit of considering the writing samples of the participants on the general track). On the general track, the small group discussions of the writing samples are facilitated by the experienced participants with faculty support, whereas on the tailored track, they are conducted by the faculty alone.

LEADERBOARD

Throughout the courses, the most impressive writing samples will be distinguished and in due course we will publish a leaderboard to celebrate the most impressive advocates.

COURSE FEES

The course fees are EUR 350 excl. VAT on the general track and EUR 475 excl. VAT on the tailored track. The course fees for the publication add-on are EUR 80 excl. VAT. You can only enrol on this additional module if you are taking one of the written advocacy courses.

Participants who enrol for all three courses upfront get a 10% discount on the total course fees (this does not apply if the participant eventually takes all three courses, but applying for each one separately). Delos full Members receive a 20% discount on all course fees. See below for further information on VAT and special needs situations.

APPLY

To apply for the first, or all three, written advocacy courses (and the additional publication module), please complete this application form and send your CV to wawa@delosdr.org.

We will acknowledge receipt of your application from the second half of June onwards and start allocating places on a rolling basis. If you are selected for the course, you will need to pay the course fees to secure your place. Places are limited.

Once you have been selected onto a WAWA course, you get priority to enrol onto other WAWA courses. We will open applications for Parts II and III of the written advocacy course later in the year.