Would you rather forget your authorities or call the judge by the wrong title? And would you prefer a nightmare client or a nightmare opponent?

This week, John and Hayley play Would You Rather: Advocate Edition, tackling some of the awkward situations advocates can find themselves facing in court.

What starts as a bit of fun soon leads to a very honest discussion about life in legal practice, as John shares his experiences of dealing with difficult opponents and explains why sometimes the best thing you can do is stop arguing and take the issue before the judge. 

They also answer your questions, including how to build the confidence to approach lawyers at networking eventsand if someone hoping to become a criminal barrister should study straight Law or Law with Criminology.

Plus, John and Hayley share a message from a former Speed Mooting competitor who has recently secured pupillage and credited the experience with helping to rebuild their confidence as an advocate.

Expect practical advice, courtroom stories, networking disasters and, inevitably, a John Dove rant.

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How do experienced advocates deal with nerves? How much of good advocacy is preparation versus thinking on your feet? And what keeps you going when your legal career isn't progressing the way you'd hoped?

In Episode 128, John and Hayley answer more questions from the Speed Mooting community. John shares his advice for managing nerves before court and public speaking, explains the different purposes of opening and closing speeches, and discusses why preparation is at the heart of successful advocacy. 

They also reflect on their own experiences of rejection while trying to qualify, including unsuccessful training contract and pupillage applications, frustrating feedback, and the moments when they both considered taking their careers in a completely different direction.

Are you overlooking some of your most valuable experience when applying for opportunities in law?

In Episode 127, John and Hayley look at how experiences such as working in retail and observing in court can give aspiring lawyers a wealth of transferable skills to discuss in applications and interviews.

They also answer a question from a Year 12 student about how to stand out when applying to study law at university, before turning to advocacy and discussing how barristers stay calm when things don’t go to plan in court.

John shares a real example from practice where a judge immediately rejected part of his sentencing argument and explains how experience helps advocates adapt, pivot and approach the case from a different angle.

What does an expert witness actually do, and what should junior lawyers know about working with one?

John Dove is joined by Joanne Lowe, Expert Witness Service Lead at Harrison Associates and an occupational therapist with 30 years of experience, for a fascinating look inside the world of medico-legal expert evidence.

Joanne explains the role occupational therapists play in personal injury and clinical negligence litigation, what goes into a quantum report, how claimant and defendant experts approach their work, and what happens when experts meet to identify areas of agreement and disagreement.

They also discuss the importance of expert independence, what solicitors and barristers should consider when selecting an expert witness, common mistakes made by new experts and how technology and AI could shape the future of expert evidence.

A particularly useful episode for law students, aspiring barristers, trainee solicitors and junior lawyers looking to understand how expert evidence works in practice

Do you need the right accent, background or connections to succeed in law?

In Episode 126 of the Speed Mooting: Partners in Crime Podcast, John and Hayley look back at the things they worried about as law students, from having a Scouse accent and coming from a state-school background to entering the legal profession without family connections, and explain why those concerns mattered far less than they expected.

They also answer listener questions on moving from conveyancing into litigation, transferable legal skills and changing practice areas.

Finally, John gives an insight into life as a criminal barrister, explaining the difference between legal aid and privately funded work, how funding affects a barrister’s caseload and the realities of managing income, tax and VAT at the self-employed Bar.

An episode packed with practical legal career advice for law students, aspiring barristers, aspiring solicitors and anyone trying to break into the legal profession.

How do you make the most of a pupillage fair?

In Episode 125 of Speed Mooting: Partners in Crime, John and Hayley share their practical advice for law students and aspiring barristers attending pupillage and law fairs.

We discuss how to research chambers before the event, what to say when approaching exhibitors, questions worth asking, making a good impression, taking useful notes and following up with new connections afterwards.

With the Northern Pupillage Fair 2026 just around the corner, we also explain how to get the most from the day and why these events can be valuable when preparing for future pupillage applications.

Plus, we answer your advocacy questions: what makes a well-presented case, and what makes a good advocate?

A practical episode for law students, Bar students, aspiring barristers and anyone looking to develop their advocacy skills and build a career in law.

Episode 124 — #AskSpeedSquadSpecial. John and Hayley answer your listener questions, covering the big topics law students actually want to know about.

This week: should mooting and advocacy skills be compulsory on every law degree? How much preparation really goes into a court hearing (the honest answer might surprise you)? And what's the best piece of career advice John and Hayley have ever been given — including the career-defining moment a commercial partner told an 18-year-old John he hadn't got a clue what commercial law actually was, and the trainee pep talk Hayley's never forgotten.

Real experience, no filter — from a criminal barrister and a commercial solicitor who've both been through the paralegal, training contract, and qualification grind.

Send your questions to [email protected] or drop them in the comments.

Is working as a paralegal the best first step into the legal profession?

In this episode, John and Hayley discuss why their years as paralegals became some of the most valuable experiences of their legal careers. They explain how working in practice develops the skills, confidence and commercial awareness that universities simply cannot teach.

The conversation also explores the reality of life inside law firms, the myths created by TV dramas, and how paralegal experience can strengthen applications for pupillage and training contracts.

As always, they finish by answering listener questions, including whether barristers can lie in court, what happens during legal arguments heard in chambers, and who will be the stricter parent when their first baby arrives.

If you're an aspiring or junior lawyer looking to build your career, this episode is full of practical advice and honest insight from two lawyers who've been through the journey themselves.

Conversations with Counsel - Havin Sorgucu, Durham Law Student & Speed Mooting Ambassador

Havin Sorgucu had a magistrate tell her she had a talent for advocacy at sixteen — then lost all her confidence when she got to university. In this episode, she shares how she rebuilt it, why she turned to Speed Mooting as a low-pressure place to start, and what it was like doing real plea in mitigation advocacy as an undergraduate.

She also talks about mentoring aspiring law students through Zero Gravity and has brilliant advice for anyone yet to start their law degree.

Visit speedmooting.com to get involved.

Three years of lectures, seminars, and case law and somehow no one tells you how a real case actually works.

In this episode, John (criminal barrister) and Hayley (commercial solicitor) go through the biggest gaps between law school and legal practice: the advocacy skills universities rarely teach, the soft skills and client care that catch junior lawyers off guard, and why being confident on the phone will take you further than you think.

They also answer a listener question that comes up more than almost any other: can you become a barrister or solicitor if you're shy or introverted? The answer might surprise you.

Plus — upcoming Speed Mooting events including the Northern Pupillage Fair on 5th September, a free Skeleton Arguments workshop, and an online advocacy bootcamp focused on bail applications and plea in mitigation.

Send your questions to [email protected] or DM us on any platform.