By Chris Marnewick
With the reputation for developing training material that reduced the failure rate at the legal Bar examinations from 40% pre 2003, to less than 2% in 2011, CG Marnewick can be trusted to bring a highly valuable resource to the profession, giving civil and criminal litigators the skills to excel.
Litigation Skills for South African Lawyers Fourth Edition published is just that. The work, an updated edition from Marnewick, covers every stage of the litigation process: From pre-litigation to litigation alternatives, to trial and appeal stages, enabling the reader to master the techniques and skills needed to be an effective and pre-eminent litigator.
The ‘how’ of litigation
This bestseller is essential reading for litigators, suitable for all levels of experience from law students to advocates, attorneys and prosecutors. The title will be of especial use to candidate attorneys and pupil advocates.
It has been written in a pragmatic style, aimed at teaching the ‘how’ of litigation, explaining the need for each step in the process and providing practical tips on how to prepare a matter from the first meeting with a client through to the follow up meeting after an appeal has been finalised.
The author brings a wealth of experience to the title. Before joining the Bar, he practised as a prosecutor, magistrate and attorney. He was appointed Senior Counsel in 1976 and has also held the position of Acting Judge.
His international experience includes being an Instructor of Professional Legal Studies and founding instructor at the College of Law, both in New Zealand. He is well positioned to impart his wisdom and learnings to litigators through this work which has been practically written and includes precedents, examples and strategies that complement the commentary text.
The commentary in Litigation Skills for South African Lawyers Fourth Edition has been updated to cover the Legal Practice Act 28 of 2014, include expanded content on criminal practice and procedure and provide insight into modern trends in legal research.
Divided into five sections: Pre-Litigation Stage, Pleadings Stage, Trial Preparation Stage, Trial Stage and the Appeal Stage, the work covers all of the relevant skills needed to be a successful civil or criminal litigator.
About the author
Chris Marnewick started his legal career as clerk of the court and then went on to become, in turn, a prosecutor, a magistrate, and an attorney before he joined the Durban Bar in 1976. He was appointed senior counsel in 1991 and has held several appointments as an acting judge.
Chris started teaching legal writing to pupil advocates in 1988. In 1999 he took six months’ sabbatical leave to write a book on legal writing, but the sabbatical stretched to three years and the book grew into one covering the entire litigation process. Upon its publication, the book caused a revolution in the way advocates develop the skills of their profession and was instrumental in reducing the failure rate at the Bar exams from 40% in the years up to 2003 to less than 2% in 2011.
Chris hones his teaching skills at the institute of Professional Legal Studies and was a founding instructor of the College of Law (both in New Zealand). He has taught litigation skills at the University of KZN and designed and authored the Workbook Course used by the GCB since 2004 to prepare pupil advocates for the Bar exam.
The methodology advocated by the book is known as learn-by-doing. Academic knowledge can be acquired by reading but the skills of litigators – be they advocates, attorneys or prosecutors – can only be acquired by doing. From the initial interview with a client to the conduct of an appeal, this book covers all the skills and techniques of the litigation process.
- Publisher | LexisNexis South Africa |
- ISBN | 9780639010366 |
- Recommended Retail Price | R1,301.80 |
- CLASSIFICATION | Legal |
To purchase, visit the LexisNexis online bookstore. Click here |
