[blindlaw] Oral advocacy

Tue Nov 6 13:15:36 CST 2007

Hi,

I was not a Braille user until after law school.  I will echo Dan's  and 
Jim's sentiments about learning Braille if you can, because it makes oral  
advocacy easier if you have notes available to you.  However, I used a  laptop with 
Jaws installed on it.  I used an earbud so that no one else  would hear my 
computer.  It worked well for me, and I still use this system  when I'm on trial 
and have to navigate through large documents.  If you set  the speed of Jaws 
right, and if you practice, it may work for you as well.  

Having said that, I recognize the need for something more efficient.   When I 
have small documents, or when my reader is not available, and even when  she 
is, I often Braille out points I want to hit on.  I'm now trying to  increase 
my speed in the hopes of buying a note taker next year.  

My point is this: don't get discouraged by what you've read on this  list.  
Braille is terrific, but you can use other techniques while you're  learning 
Braille that will help you succeed at oral advocacy.

Regards,
Ronza

In a message dated 11/6/2007 11:02:49 A.M. Pacific Standard Time,  
albertpgriffith at hotmail.com writes:

There  are small ear pieces that are barely noticeable.  I'm not  discounting
braille as the medium of preference but for some it's just not  feasible. 

-----Original Message-----
From:  blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf  Of Frye, Dan
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 9:21 AM
To: NFBnet Blind  Law Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Oral advocacy

Unless you  are physically unable to learn Braille, I'd make a point of
mastering the  code. It was invaluable to me while in law school and has been
beneficial  throughout my career. Your inquiry alone suggests its
significance. Your  question is comparable to asking how do I read or
reference print notes  without knowing how to read. Of course, I don't know
all of your  circumstances (whether you've been recently blinded or cannot
read Braille  for some other reason), but learning this skill--even if you
are at first  slow--will be your best option.
Otherwise, it comes down to cultivating a  good memory. I know totally blind
attorneys who manage to rely on an  incredible memory, but they are few and
far between. Most who try to use  memory suffer from reluctance to engage in
public speaking and limit their  practice to research, avoiding litigation
and other examples of public  advocacy. Use of other devices like talking
computers or note takers with  ear phones render the speaker awkward
appearing and halting.

Good  luck.

With Kind Regards,

Dan Frye      

-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org  [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of E.J. Zufelt
Sent:  Tuesday, November 06, 2007 12:02 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing  List
Subject: [blindlaw] Oral advocacy

Good afternoon,

I am a  first year law student and next term will be doing a moot as part of
my  Oral Advocacy course.  I am completely blind, but don't know  braille.

Can anyone tell me what techniques they use to prepare and  present an oral
argument, without the use of braille?

Thank  you,
Everett

_______________________________________________
blindlaw  mailing  list
blindlaw at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw

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Hi,

I was not a Braille user until after law school.  I will echo Dan's and Jim's sentiments about learning Braille if you can, because it makes oral advocacy easier if you have notes available to you.  However, I used a laptop with Jaws installed on it.  I used an earbud so that no one else would hear my computer.  It worked well for me, and I still use this system when I'm on trial and have to navigate through large documents.  If you set the speed of Jaws right, and if you practice, it may work for you as well. 

Having said that, I recognize the need for something more efficient.  When I have small documents, or when my reader is not available, and even when she is, I often Braille out points I want to hit on.  I'm now trying to increase my speed in the hopes of buying a note taker next year. 

My point is this: don't get discouraged by what you've read on this list.  Braille is terrific, but you can use other techniques while you're learning Braille that will help you succeed at oral advocacy.

Regards,
Ronza

In a message dated 11/6/2007 11:02:49 A.M. Pacific Standard Time, albertpgriffith at hotmail.com writes:
There are small ear pieces that are barely noticeable.  I'm not discounting
braille as the medium of preference but for some it's just not feasible.
-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Frye, Dan
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 9:21 AM
To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Oral advocacy
Unless you are physically unable to learn Braille, I'd make a point of
mastering the code. It was invaluable to me while in law school and has been
beneficial throughout my career. Your inquiry alone suggests its
significance. Your question is comparable to asking how do I read or
reference print notes without knowing how to read. Of course, I don't know
all of your circumstances (whether you've been recently blinded or cannot
read Braille for some other reason), but learning this skill--even if you
are at first slow--will be your best option.
Otherwise, it comes down to cultivating a good memory. I know totally blind
attorneys who manage to rely on an incredible memory, but they are few and
far between. Most who try to use memory suffer from reluctance to engage in
public speaking and limit their practice to research, avoiding litigation
and other examples of public advocacy. Use of other devices like talking
computers or note takers with ear phones render the speaker awkward
appearing and halting.
Good luck.
With Kind Regards,
Dan Frye    
-----Original Message-----
From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org]
On Behalf Of E.J. Zufelt
Sent: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 12:02 PM
To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
Subject: [blindlaw] Oral advocacy
Good afternoon,
I am a first year law student and next term will be doing a moot as part of
my Oral Advocacy course.  I am completely blind, but don't know braille.
Can anyone tell me what techniques they use to prepare and present an oral
argument, without the use of braille?
Thank you,
Everett
_______________________________________________
blindlaw mailing list
blindlaw at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw
_______________________________________________
blindlaw mailing list
blindlaw at nfbnet.org
http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw
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