The Client Interviewing Competition for England
& Wales
What this is all about and resources
The competition seeks to encourage the
promotion of the skills involved with client interviewing within an educational context.
The Client Interviewing Competition started in the UK in 1984, following its inception in
the United States. It is an annual competition for law students in interviewing and
counselling skills which centres on a simulated law office interview. Law students,
working in teams of two, interview and advise a "client". Their management of
the interview is judged according to the judging criteria e.g. establishing a good working
relationship with the client, recognising and handling the legal problems, ethical and
personal issues, including costs, and finally offering appropriate advice. The competition
requires students not merely to know the law relating to a particular subject matter, but
also to employ effective interviewing techniques and be aware of a variety of
considerations which they might not otherwise appreciate as law students. A post-interview
reflection is an integral part of the competition which allows the students to explain
their techniques, discuss the law and their projected strategies and provides
an
opportunity for self-criticism.
Oxford Brookes team at 2010 International Client Consultation Competition Part 2 Part 3 Part 4
Materials on Brown Mosten International Client Consultation site
Building
better client relationships
We are grateful
to Fiona Westwood for allowing us to reproduce chapter 6 of her book
Accelerated Practice: Implementing Success in Professional Firms Palgrave
Macmillan 2008
On-line
articles
The Initial Client Interview
Jim Calloway, Director, Oklahoma Bar Association Management Assistance Program
http://www.okbar.org/members/map/articles/interview.htm
The Client's Perspective
on the Initial Interview
Clark Cunningham, Professor of Law,
Washington University School of Law
http://law.gsu.edu/Communication/HARTART2.pdf
Developing the Fine Art
of Listening
R. Hal Ritter, Jr. and Patricia A.
Wilson
http://www.texasbar.com/customsource/wrapper/globals/tbj/2001/oct01/ritter.asp
Client Interview
(Criminal cases)
Ray Moses
http://criminaldefense.homestead.com/ClientInterview.html#anchor_36
Law Society Practice Note on Initial Interviews (May 2008)
Books
Bastress, R and Harbaugh, J Interviewing, Counselling and Negotiation (Little
Brown, 1990)
Binder, D and Price, S Legal Interviewing and Counseling (West Publishing, 1977)
Binder D, Bergman P & Price S Lawyers
as Counsellors: A Client-Centered Approach (West Publishing, 1991)
Chapman, J Interviewing and Counselling (Cavendish, 1993)
Clawar, S You and your clients: a guide to client management skills for a more
successful practice (ABA, 1996)
Lauchland, K and Le Brun, M Legal Interviewing: Theory, Tactics and Techniques
(Australia:
Butterworths, 1996)
Millar, R et al Professional Interviewing (Routledge, 1992)
Sherr, A. Client Care for Lawyers (Sweet & Maxwell, 1999)
Twist, H. Effective Interviewing (Blackstone Press, 1992)
Articles
Brown, L M The trouble of law school education: a consultation in a microcosm
18 Creighton Law Review 1343 (Winter 1985)
Clay, T and Rairdon, S How to conduct a meeting with a prospective client 65
Michigan Bar Journal 850 (June 1986)
Costanzo, M What seems to be the trouble? 64 Law Institute Journal 696 (August
1990)
Earl, A Conducting the initial interview: rules and red flags 29 Trial 58(5) (April
1993)
Furey, N Legal Interviewing and counselling bibliography 18 Creighton Law Review
1503 (Winter 1985)
Granat, J How to talk to clients 11 Legal Economics 74 (Sept-Oct 1985)
Ghanciock, W Tips on interviewing 5 Corporate Counsel's Quarterly 78 (January 1989)
Morgan, T Thinking about lawyers as counsellors 42 Florida Law Review 439 (July
1990)
Mosten, F Introduction 18 Creighton Law Review 1329 (Winter 1985)
Sherr, A Lawyers and Clients: The First Meeting (1986) MLR 323
Tamsitt, G Teaching Interviewing and Negotiation: the impossible dream? 1
Journal of Professional Legal Education 59 (July 1983)
Tamsitt, G Interviewing and negotiation revisited 5 Journal of Professional
Legal Education 177 (December 1987)
Weyrauch, W Foreword Florida Law Review 429 (July 1990)
Zorn, D Some suggestions for successful interviewing in the ABA Client Counselling
Competition 18 Creighton Law Review 1443 (Winter 1985)