Anesta Weekes QC – The Advocacy Podcast

Anesta Weekes QC: Preparation, Preparation, Preparation

Anesta explains the process that she uses for effective case preparation, including how to distil your questions and case theory.

Show notes

Introduction and background– Anesta describes her early days as an advocate.
Anesta’s first trial experience and trial and error advocacy journey.
When Anesta realised that she should she should have a proper method of case preparation.
Anesta explains the process that she uses for effective case preparation.
How Anesta uses chronologies, schedules and diagrams as part of her case preparation.
Preparation and research that Anesta does when she has a case that involves an expert.
Anesta explains what case theory means to her.
How to distil your case theory?
How to deal with weakness or issues in your case.
Anesta and Bibi discuss how long you should spend looking at weakness or issues in your case.
Anesta describes types of infective case analysis that she has seen when she had been an advocacy trainer or sitting as a Recorder (part time judge).
How to distil your questions and case theory in fact heavy cases.

Anesta Weekes QC was called to the Bar in 1981, and in 1999, was appointed both QC and Recorder. Anesta is recognised for her work prosecuting and defending and sits as a judge in the Crown Court in serious criminal trials.

Further to this, Anesta acts for professionals in disciplinary tribunals, and was appointed to chair the working party looking into the disproportionate number of minority solicitors subject to regulatory decisions. She has worked on a number of major national inquiries, including The Morris Inquiry (concerning the Metropolitan Police) and The Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. She also specialises in Privy Council work, dealing with both civil and criminal appeals originating in Bermuda, Bahamas, Montserrat and Antigua.

Anesta is a committed teacher of advocacy. She serves on the International Committee of the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA) and regularly trains advocates in the UK and within the Commonwealth jurisdictions (including the Caribbean region, South Africa and Zimbabwe).

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