Why Most Aspiring Solicitors Fail Their Presentations – And How YOU Can Shine!

Nov 30, 2023

Written By Francesca Jackson

Presentations can be daunting – just the very thought of public speaking fills many of us with dread. But being able to deliver a successful presentation in a clear and engaging manner is an essential skill for any aspiring solicitor. Let’s take a look at some of the most common reasons why aspiring solicitors fail their presentations – and how YOU can shine by avoiding them!

The importance of presentations

Presentations play a vital role in the legal industry. Legal professionals frequently need to present their arguments, findings and recommendations, whether to clients in an office or to a judge/jury in court. Effective presentations can lead to great outcomes, such as impressing clients, securing promotions and winning court cases.

There are, however, a number of reasons why aspiring solicitors can fail their presentations, including nervousness about public speaking, lack of preparation and disorganised content. Let’s delve deeper into some of them.

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Fear of public speaking

Perhaps the most common reason why aspiring solicitors fail their presentations is due to a fear of public speaking. According to one recent study, 75% of students say that they feel nervous about speaking in front of an audience, and law students are no different. If this is you, don’t worry: even many legal professionals feel apprehensive before a big presentation.

Fortunately, there are a number of steps you can take to conquer a fear of public speaking.

Relaxation techniques are one of the best ways of calming your nerves before a presentation. For example, you might exercise beforehand or meditate.

Be sure to also repeatedly practise your public speaking (you could even take a class!), as this will help you to conquer your fear by building self-confidence.

Also, consider using visualisation exercises before a presentation. These are mental exercises that create positive images and feelings in the mind. They have been shown to calm down your nervous system and declutter your mind, and so can help you address your public speaking anxiety.

Preparation and Rehearsal

Another one of the biggest reasons why aspiring solicitors fail their presentations is due to a lack of preparation and rehearsal. Use the following two-step checklist the next time you are asked to deliver a presentation:

Create a solid structure for your presentation. This should consist of three parts: an introduction (outline the key points you will make), a main body (develop your key points with evidence, explanations and examples), and a conclusion (summarise your key points).
Conduct tailored research for your presentation. Find out who your audience is to tailor your presentation to their specific needs, interests and expectations.

Understanding your audience and objectives

Failing to fully understand your audience and objectives is another common reason why aspiring solicitors fail their presentations. The importance of tailoring your presentation to your audience cannot be overstated, so do make sure you find out as much about your target audience as you can.

It is also crucial that you understand the objectives you are seeking to achieve. Set clear goals for your presentation by constantly asking yourself: what is the purpose of my presentation? What is the message I am trying to convey?

Engaging content and storytelling

A lack of engaging and persuasive content is another reason why aspiring solicitors can fail their presentations.

Consider using visual aids to make your presentation more memorable and relatable to your audience. With around 65% of people being visual learners, visual aids such as slides, graphs and images can really help you to convey your message.

Using anecdotes and stories will also help to illustrate important points. By painting a picture in your audience’s mind, they are more likely to remember what you have said.

Body language and nonverbal communication

It is easy to focus so much on what you are verbally saying that you forget to communicate with your body, so remember to have good body language throughout your presentation.

Be sure to maintain eye contact with all the audience by moving your gaze around the room. It is also a good idea to let your arms hang loosely, but consider using hand gestures where appropriate.

To further project confidence through your nonverbal communication, consider walking to different areas of your presenting space. Also, don’t forget to smile! This is one of the easiest ways you can shine during your presentation.

Handling questions and challenges

Don’t fail your presentation by being caught off guard by challenging questions! Whilst it can be hard to predict what questions you might be asked during your presentation, there are tips you can use to stay composed, demonstrate professionalism and provide clear responses.

Practice answering questions with a friend or careers mentor – this will help you to improve your confidence when answering on-the-spot questions.

Listen and acknowledge – when someone asks you a question, listen attentively and thank them for their question. This will give you time to think of a response.

Answer honestly – if you don’t know the answer, don’t make something up! Admit that you don’t have the information at hand, but offer to follow up later or direct them to a relevant resource.

The role of practice and feedback

As with everything, practice is key – it really does make perfect! When rehearsing your presentation beforehand, ask for feedback from peers and careers advice teams. You can also record yourself presenting, which can draw your attention to any distracting habits or awkward phrasing you may have.

To summarise, mastering a good presentation is an essential skill for any aspiring solicitor. Whilst there are a number of potential presentation pitfalls, with planning, practice and perseverance, anyone can shine in their presentation.

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