In another Law Friends masterclass, Ann Tayo returns to expound on the art of advocacy, with the theme of reaching the hearts and minds of those around you through speech. Using her years of experience in court, this seminar is essential viewing for all those concerned with representing their clients to the best of their abilities. In this illuminating presentation, Ann details the importance of the following: 

• Have the end in sight as you begin
• Gauge then engage your audience 
• Speaking clearly 
• Orderly representation of the facts 
• Misinterpretation vagueness 
• Be yourself
• Making sense
• Dramatis personae 
• Know what the issues are and what the law is 
• Strengths and weaknesses 
• Acquaint yourself with words and vocabulary
• Leading questions
• Identify and clarify the issues 
• Know your case
• How can you defend someone you know to be guilty?
• How can you prosecute someone you know to be innocent?
• Cross examination 
• Weakening the prosecution case
• Tenacity 
• Re-examination
• Closing speech
• Know when to stop

Qualified to practice in England, Wales and Nigeria, Ann earnestly believes that every case deserves a confident, attentive barrister in order to achieve justice. Her unique approach has afforded her the opportunity to steer justice in the right path by seeking to ensure that justice is not merely seen to be done, but is in truth actually done.

Ann spent more than 12 years prosecuting cases on behalf of the Crown Prosecution Service and Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs and has defended in the Court of Appeal, High Court, the Crown Court and Magistrates’ Courts.

Ann is adept at dealing with complex family matters that require an in-depth analysis and translation to support the rationale behind both the behaviour and the actual events that have taken place within family disputes. Ann is instructed in child arrangement proceedings, drafting effective undertakings and prohibitive steps, non-molestation and occupation and ex parte applications.