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Jul. 1, 2026

LA city attorney trainer's new book turns courtroom advocacy into a teachable science

In Rules to Speak By, Los Angeles City Attorney's Office legal training director John G. Snow argues that effective courtroom advocacy is built on learnable skills, blending cognitive science, psychology and real-world trial transcripts into a practical guide for lawyers.

LA city attorney trainer's new book turns courtroom advocacy into a teachable science
Snow

Los Angeles City Attorney's Office legal training director John G. Snow argues that courtroom advocacy is not an innate talent, but a set of teachable skills lawyers can develop through deliberate practice. His new book, "Rules to Speak By," applies cognitive science and psychology to oral advocacy, offering a practical guide for lawyers at every stage of their careers.

Published by Carolina Academic Press, the book breaks oral advocacy into 10 discrete skills, pairi...

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