Mastering Cross-Examination Webinar – The Theory of Cross-Examination

This webinar, presented by Christopher Gudsell QC, and James Rapley QC, aims to help you with your cross-examination techniques and give you greater confidence in your abilities to control the witness. The webinar was designed to run as part of our Mastering Advocacy Cross-Examination Workshop module, but can be viewed separately from the workshop.

About this On-Demand Webinar

The overriding purpose of cross-examination is to assist the court in coming to a decision that accords with the proved facts and the law and that supports your client’s case. Your cross-examination should lay a foundation for your final argument and needs to be consistent with your case theory. There are therefore two primary reasons for conducting a cross-examination:

To elicit evidence that is favourable to your case;
To discredit unfavourable evidence.

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Our Presenters:

NZBA Mastering Advocacy Programme Course Co-Director, Chris Gudsell QC practised in both government and private sectors before joining the independent Bar in 1995. He took Silk in 2007. His areas of expertise include civil, criminal and commercial litigation. Chris is committed to training, having taught extensively at litigation skills programmes including Australian Bar Association Courses, the International Advocacy Training Council courses. He has also been and invited to teach on the premier advocacy training course at Keble College, Oxford.

James Rapley QC commenced practice as a Barrister in 2004 after working as a senior prosecutor for the Serious Fraud Office and Crown Solicitor’s Office for nearly ten years. He specialises in criminal defence litigation and has appeared as counsel in the District and High Courts on numerous high profile trials involving serious fraud, drug, murder, sexual crimes and other crimes of violence. He is also highly experienced in regulatory prosecutions. James has conducted over 130 criminal jury trials. He has appeared in over 20 Court of Appeal hearings as appellate counsel and has been appointed by the District and High Courts as amicus curiae. James is also a co-author of Thomson Reuter’s Advocacy text. James teaches Trial Advocacy at both the University of Canterbury in Christchurch and the University of South Pacific in Port Vila, Vanuatu. He is the Director of the criminal stream of the NZBA’s Mastering Advocacy Programme. He is the Deputy Chair of our Training Committee.

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