THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS EXPERTS www.assuretytraining.com

Assurety Training

Transforming communication skills.

We transform the performances of individuals who have to answer or ask questions. Personal and commercial success or failure may depend on how they come across.

Uniquely, our training is delivered by an elite barrister, with years of forensic experience in the courtroom, and also by a specialist communications expert.

We are able to help anyone who needs to get their message across and perform at their very best in highly pressured situations, whatever the circumstances.

That might be as a witness in a court hearing, a tribunal or an arbitration. Or as a witness before a public inquiry, parliamentary hearing, or professional regulatory body. Or for an important speech, a crucial business presentation, a presentation to an AGM or a pitch.

If you are facing any kind of situation where you will be under pressure to communicate clearly and effectively, respond to difficult questions or to ask questions, we can help you do it to the very best of your ability.

WHAT WE DO

Assurety was set up in 2012 by three senior barristers, Paul Epstein QC, Jason Galbraith-Marten QC and Ed Williams QC. Between them they have over seventy-five years experience of cross-examining witnesses and arguing cases in the highest courts.

They established the business after realising from their time in court that not enough was being done to prepare witnesses effectively for the real experience of being cross-examined.

Together they developed a range of witness familiarisation courses that combine the skills and experience of leading barristers with expert communications trainers, to deliver the most

effective preparation for cross-examination and to help participants to give their evidence to the best of their ability.

They quickly established Assurety as the acknowledged leader in premium witness training, helping numerous clients in weighty and high-profile matters, as well as offering clients premium communications training.

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WHO WE ARE

Stefan Martin, Partner, Hogan Lovells

“EXCELLENT TRAINERS”“You get what you pay for – excellent trainers who have seen it all before. Assurety’s team of top-notch barristers and other communications specialists are the obvious choice to help a witness to give evidence clearly and confidently”

Left to right; Paul Epstein QC, Ed Williams QC, Jason Galbraith-Marten QC,

INTENSIVEA more detailed course that includes valuable insights into how judges make decisions and barristers cross-examination techniques. Gives the witness an extensive in-depth cross-examination by a leading barrister, designed specifically for the individual(s) attending, using real life experiences that are personal to them. This exercise better replicates the experience of giving evidence in court, rather than using artificial roles plays.

ESSENTIALSA short course specifically designed for those with limited time. Rapid familiarisation with the trial or hearing process. This includes everything from where to sit and how to address the judge or panel, to how decisions are made. Watching actual cross-examinations, we explain and demonstrate good techniques and bad habits in giving evidence. Each participant is then cross-examined and critiqued for at least 20 minutes.

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WITNESS FAMILIARISATION TRAINING

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INTENSIVE PLUSThis is our premium product and is essential if you want the maximum amount of cross examination experience ahead of giving evidence at your appearance. It gives you everything that the intensive course offers but with each participant receiving at least two hours’ cross-examination practice and feedback with video recording and review for the most effective learning experience.

JUDGE COURSEThe ultimate in trial preparation. Not only do we use the best barristers from the best chambers and expert communications trainers, but we will also provide a former High Court/Court of Appeal Judge as the third trainer who can explain exactly how cases are decided and give additional feedback on a witness’s performance.

Solicitors and barristers agree that preparation and understanding can make an enormous difference to the quality of evidence that a witness is able to give in court.

Nerves, anxiety and unfamiliarity with the procedure can really affect someone’s ability to provide evidence clearly and confidently, which can determine the extent to which their testimony is helpful to the judge and jury.

Our witness familiarisation courses help participants who are facing any type of questioning to give their evidence to the very best of their ability. Our training focuses not just on what participants say, but how they say it, while at all times emphasising that the duty of the witness is to tell the truth.

Participants will be able to watch footage of real cross-examinations, and experience for themselves what it is like to be cross examined by a skilled barrister.

Andrew Stafford QC,Kobre & Kim LLP

“THOUGHTFUL WITNESS PREPARATION”“Thoughtful witness preparation, delivered by high calibre individuals, designed to give a witness a real experience of what it is like to be placed under the strain of probing cross-examination. Every time we have used Assurety, our witnesses have commented on how close to the real thing the simulated experience turned out to be.”

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ADVOCACY TRAINING

“THE BEST COURSE I HAVE PARTICIPATED IN”Rien Kornalijnslijper, Expert witness

Our engaging training team will thoroughly prepare you.

Advocacy is a skill that can be learned and should be continually improved. Whether you are a recently qualified advocate looking to develop your skills, an experienced advocate looking to hone your art, or you simply want to iron out bad habits, we can help.

We work with judges and senior barristers, including a number of well-known QCs, and expert communication trainers, to deliver challenging, thought-provoking and rewarding training courses that are tailored to your particular requirements. We can help you prepare for cases in arbitrations, courts, tribunals and inquiries; for advocacy involving witnesses and legal argument at first instance, and appellate advocacy up to the highest levels.

No other advocacy training offers a combination of top judges and senior barristers with communication experts that focuses on not just what you say but how you say it.

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ASKING QUESTIONS

“VERY POSITIVE AND CONFIDENCE INSPIRING”Michael Flewitt, CEO, McLaren

Even the most senior business leaders have not been taught how to ask questions, let alone practised asking them. Asking questions and probing, challenging and, ultimately, obtaining information, is a skill that can be learned.

Deploying this skill produces the best material on which to base decisions; it can transform your performance, the performance of your business, and empower your key employees and board members.

Delivered by QC trainers, these sessions help you understand the different types of question, open and closed questions, compound

questions, tag questions, how to probe for information, how to deploy documents, how to approach inconsistencies, how to challenge, and when not to ask questions. We show videos of great questioners at work to help you understand what makes for effective questioning techniques. Most importantly, you will practise your questioning skills using bespoke case studies, and we will give you constructive feedback.

WINNING TRANSACTIONS AND ANSWERING QUESTIONS IN PRESSURISED ENVIRONMENTS

Emma Badman, Head of Compliance, ING Bank

“EXCELLENT COURSE THAT DELIVERS PRACTICAL GUIDANCE AND FEEDBACK AROUND A CHALLENGING SUBJECT”

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Whether addressing an AGM, a regulator or a public body, or trying to sell a company, gain investment or attract new clients, so much can depend on how you communicate.

Fortunately, these are skills that can be learned. We help you to communicate as effectively as possible whatever the circumstances.

Uniquely, our courses are delivered by at least two trainers, an elite barrister and a communications expert.

Our barristers help you practise communicating your message in a pressurised environment by cross-examining you on it. You will experience first-hand the pressure of having to answer focused, forceful and challenging questions from a highly-skilled questioner.

The communications expert will help you understand the differences between verbal communication, non-verbal communication and paralinguistic (tone, pitch, pace, volume), what types of communication are most effective, and will give you practical tips for eliminating or reducing stress.

Your performance is filmed and played back to you, the barrister and communications expert give you constructive feedback on how to improve, and you have the opportunity to practise and perfect those points.

The sessions focus on developing your unique presentation style, as well as helping you connect with your audience and adapt to different behaviour types.

“MIND OPENING AND A LITTLE NERVE RACKING”

“TOTALLY ENLIGHTENING AND A REAL BENEFIT”

Dave Lewis, CEO, Tesco

Angelo Sofocleous, CEO, Cantor Fitzgerald

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Assurety communications trainer Sally Gooda

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“INTERACTIVE AND ONE TO ONE COACHING. EXCELLENT”

Andrew Challis, Managing Director, Barclays

“EXCELLENT SESSION THAT HAS GIVEN ME A GREAT AWARENESS OF WHAT I NEED TO FOCUS ON IN GIVING EVIDENCE” Ian Field, Partner, Allen & Overy“FOUNDED IN REALITY,

HAVING TO ANSWER REAL LIFE QUESTIONS”

Richard Ames, CEO, Sports Information Services Ltd

“WILL UNDOUBTEDLY MAKE ME A BETTER WITNESS” John Caudwell, Founder, Phones4U

“SLIGHTLY TERRIFYING BUT HUGELY BENEFICIAL”

Mandeep Mundae, Head of Commercial, IFM Investors

“A VERY ILLUMINATING AND INFORMATIVE EXPERIENCE” Julia Hands, CEO, Terra Firma

“AN INTENSE LEARNING EXPERIENCE” Paul Richardson, Editor, Bloomberg

“THANK GOODNESS FOR THE COURSE! WELL PREPARED NOW” Melanie Aimer, Global Head of Client Development, BNP Paribas

“VERY PROFESSIONAL AND INSIGHTFUL” Jey Williams, Head of Engineering, Airbus

“IT WORKED PERFECTLY. I LEARNT SO MUCH TODAY, WAY BEYOND WHAT I THOUGHT THE DAY WOULD PROVIDE.” Gary Gale, Chief Technology Officer, what3words

“IT MADE ME FEEL A LOT MORE CONFIDENT IN MY ABILITY TO HANDLE NERVES” Fiona Colliver, HR Officer, JLT Benefit Solutions

“I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER PREPARED… ESSENTIAL TRAINING.” Sean Mahon, CEO, Cattles Plc

“FIRST CLASS PREP FOR WITNESS EXPERIENCE. I HAVE ATTENDED 5-6 COURSES BEFORE WITH OTHER PROVIDERS, THIS IS BY FAR THE MOST USEFUL” Dr Philip Johnson, Consultant Occupational Physician (Expert witness)

“I VERY MUCH ENJOYED THE EXPERIENCE ALTHOUGH I WAS CHALLENGED” D Gordon, CEO, JLT Group

“FANTASTIC, THOUGHT PROVOKING AND SUPERB PREPARATION FOR SOMETHING I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED BEFORE.”David Nichols, UK Chief Claims Officer, Zurich Insurance

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Assurety Ltd21 Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 1AAE: info@assuretytraining.com | T: +44 (0)207 1010 350

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“WE AND OUR CLIENTS SAW REAL VALUE IN HAVING WITNESS TRAINING PROVIDED BY EXPERIENCED, PRACTISING BARRISTERS”Dony Surtani, Herbert Smith Freehills