Advocacy is about supporting a person, cause or policy. Below, we explore advocacy in a legal context, different types of legal advocacy, what skills advocates need and the strategies they use to influence judges and juries.
Written by Grant Longstaff. Published 11 September 2026.
What is advocacy?
In simple terms advocacy is about speaking up, whether for yourself or on behalf of someone else who is unable to speak up for themselves and needs the support of another person. Self-advocacy is something people engage in regularly, however there are times when people need support with advocacy. The law is one such area.
What is legal advocacy?
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) defines legal advocacy as follows: “Legal advocacy is when lawyers represent someone (their client) in a court or tribunal. This means they do and say things on their client's behalf.”
What does a legal advocate do?
Advocacy is a large part of being a lawyer and is something legal professionals will engage in almost every day throughout their careers. From a first meeting to drafting a legal document and representing an individual in court, lawyers will offer advice, guidance and support to their clients as a legal advocate.
Types of legal advocacy
There are many reasons an individual might require the support of a legal advocate ranging from criminal cases, where an individual is being prosecuted for a crime to civil law disputes, such as divorce. Below we look at some of the different types of legal advocacy.
Litigation advocacy
Litigation advocacy is commonly used in court proceedings. Think of a barrister presenting an argument or questioning a witness on behalf of their client and you’ll have a strong idea of litigation advocacy.
Legislative advocacy
Legislative advocacy sees legal professionals work with policy makers to argue for or against a specific regulation or law in an attempt to change or shape it.
Policy advocacy
Similar to legislative advocacy, this sees lawyers promote policy changes or reforms on an issue which affects the client.
Public interest advocacy
Public interest advocacy is found in cases where lawyers are working to challenge social injustice and protect vulnerable people.
Appellate advocacy
Appellate advocates handle legal appeals which challenge the decision of a trial or ruling. They’ll use their legal expertise to argue against the initial decision and try to persuade the court to overturn or change their original decision.
Legal advocacy skills
As advocacy is embedded into the legal profession the skills lawyers need to become effective advocates include those essential to practising law. Advocacy requires you to make robust arguments, so you’ll need strong communication skills, logical thinking and problem-solving capabilities and great legal knowledge.
Over 100 years ago, judge Sir Edward Abbott Parry, wrote “The Seven Lamps of Advocacy” where he outlined what he saw as the key principles of advocacy. These are:
- Honesty – This includes being honest with the client, opposition and the law itself.
- Courage – This concerns self-belief and having confidence in both yourself and your argument.
- Industry – This relates to knowledge. Understand the law and case to the best of your ability.
- Wit – Addresses the need for quick thinking and charm to win an argument.
- Eloquence – Discusses the need for using the right words, making memorable statements and presenting them skilfully.
- Judgement – Discusses remaining decisive and vigilant during a hearing.
- Fellowship – This relates to remaining professional throughout a court hearing or tribunal.
Whilst the text itself might feel outdated and stuffy by today’s standards, the principles at the heart of it remain relevant.
The psychology of persuasion in legal advocacy
When it comes to the law it can feel like the best way to present your argument is to rely on the facts at hand and logical thinking. However, this isn’t always enough to win a case.
Lawyers have to take into account the people responsible for deciding the outcome of a case, whether representing a client in front of a judge, panel of judges or a jury. Each of them will have their own belief system and biases, and the challenge for a barrister is to overcome them. So how do legal professionals do this?
First of all, the argument must be as clear as possible in the mind of the advocate. The clearer it is to them, the easier it is to communicate to others. They must manage the amount of information they share. Even judges can experience fatigue at too much information.
The language used by legal professionals is also often chosen carefully. It can simplify terms, evoke emotions and create confusion. A jury can respond more favourably to a case with a clear narrative and victim they feel they know. Rapport within the courtroom can help strengthen an appeal and, if the judge is known, a lawyer might invoke certain arguments and reference certain cases to appeal to their biases.
Advocacy is ultimately about crafting a compelling argument which can engage the decision makers, and many of the actions and decisions made during a case are designed to do just that.
If you’re a solicitor looking to advance your advocacy career our Higher Rights of Audience training is the perfect course for you.
