Becoming An Effective Advocate: Reflections From RSJ Thomas

I recently had the opportunity to attend the 11th Annual Middlesex Law Association Mentoring Dinner. The dinner was framed around the theme of "What I didn't learn in law school about becoming an effective advocate" and Regional Senior Justice, Southwest Region, Bruce Thomas provided an excellent keynote address to the attendees on that theme. Although most of the advice that RSJ Thomas shared was not new to me, having heard much of the same advice to young advocates during my time as a law clerk at the Court of Appeal for Ontario and from various formal and informal mentors in my practice, I figure there must be some truth in it if it bears repeating so often. So to that effect, I thought I might share some of the highlights from my notes of RSJ Thomas's remarks here, in hopes that others may find truth and wisdom in them and benefit from this advice on being an effective advocate as well.¹