Pincus - Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys

Praise for Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys

Faith Pincus provides a comprehensive, well-written road map to mastering the art of presentation skills. From researching the audience, to creating the perfect message, to body language and delivery tips, this wide-reaching book gives you everything you need to know to hit it out of the park in terms of both context and content. Although there is an emphasis on public speaking, the wisdom in this book can benefit anyone preparing for any type of speaking engagement, from a speech to your local homeowners association to a creative toast at your best friends wedding to a hardball interview on national television.

Wendy L. Patrick, JD, PhD, Prosecutor & Media Commentator

What seems at first glance to be yet another primer on effective communication for the inexperienced proves on a closer read to be an extraordinarily useful tool for the old and skeptical as well. Faith Pincus has created a communication toolbox for all of us who struggle with effective oral presentations either all of the time or only some of the time. And she has done so efficiently and effectively in this short, concise, and clear review of practical approaches and reminders for effective communication in both formal and informal settings, whether preparing for oral argument, speaking at a public meeting, or making a short presentation at a club meeting or other more impromptu setting. Faith has compiled suggestions and checklists many of us have used and all too often forgotten or, if new to the arena, simply need to know and use. I am going to put my copy of this book on my reference shelf right next to The Elements of Style.

Hon. C. Kenneth Grosse (Retired), Washington State Court of Appeals

I have observed well over a thousand oral arguments in the California Court of Appeal and I can say, if you are a practicing attorney, read this book. In clear, conversational, and gripping fashion, Faith Pincus demonstrates that presentation skills is indeed an art. How do you cultivate a likeable, confident presence? Which are the most effective methods of delivery? What tools work best for persuasion? What techniques can be used to manage your fears? Pincus answers all these questions and many more. All attorneys, from the uninitiated to the journeyman to the superstar, will benefit from the knowledge and insight Pincus has developed during the past thirty years as a former attorney and presentation skills trainer helping lawyers, CEOs, and executives improve their presentation skills.

Pablo Drobny, Lead Appellate Court Attorney (Retired 2018), California Court of Appeal

Faith Pincus, simply put, is both an exceptional speaker and an exceptional writer. She has personally been my coach and mentor for presentation skills and it has been a life-changer! Her book, Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys , is a must-read.

Joseph E. Ankus, Esq., President/Founder, Ankus Consulting, Inc.

After having the opportunity to preview this book, I was really impressed! This is much more than just another how-to-do-it book. There is a wealth of practical information and guidance presented in an easy to locate and easy to read format. It is a compilation of actual experiences of the author and other contributors that sets out how to make presentations that are effective with the audience and enjoyable for the presenter. I wish that the information in the book had been so readily available when I found myself first addressing gatherings, rather than learning through experience.

Hon. Gilbert (Thad) Gembacz, United States Immigration Judge (Retired)

This is the book I wish existed when I was a young prosecutor and during my thirty-one-plus years as a Senior Writ Attorney at the California Court of Appeal in San Francisco doing CLE presentations. Faith brings her own expertise and experience, as well as that of her many contacts, to create a book that is witty, an easy read, and a bible for any public speaker. Its one Ill now always keep at hand for reference.

Susan Horst, Of Counsel, California Appellate Law Group, Former Career Senior Writ Attorney, California Court of Appeal

Faiths book, Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys , is, quite simply, empowering. It takes the anxiety out of the picture. Faiths method is foolproof. She explains what to do, it makes sense, and then you feel empowered to do it. Its a great handbook on presentation skills and its a terrific, quick read.

Lisa Pea, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Treasury Department

Finally, a book with the practical advice and strategies to improve presentation skills! As a public interest environmental attorney, presentation skills is a critical advocacy tool but one that I was never taught or felt particularly confident in. Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys gave me the tools I needed to refine how I prepare and deliver presentations and helped me up my game. There are so many useful tips in here, I continue to go back to it. A must for beginners and more seasoned speakers alike.

Matt Vespa, Staff Attorney, Earthjustice

Faiths book reads like a conversation with her: fast, engaging, and certain to leave you with at least a few new ideas you will be eager to apply. After years spent observing trials in a busy federal court, those that still stand out are the very few cases in which the attorney compelled the jurors or the judges attention not by volume or drama, but by the clarity, relevancy, simplicity, and strength of their presentation. Faiths book has the tools you will need to make sure that whether you are in a courtroom, a boardroom, or at a meeting anywhere in the world, your words will be heard.

Barbara Barbara Junge, Esq., Federal civil rights attorney, former civil AUSA and former career law clerk for the late Honorable William M. Hoeveler, United States District Court, Southern District of Florida

I am thrilled that Faith Pincuss knowledge and wisdom now exists in this comprehensive publication. The attorneys I work with clamor to attend Faiths in-person program each yearand for good reason, as this book demonstrates. Faith expertly and succinctly covers the practicalities of presentation skillsfrom organization to the impression you leave on your audience. She also addresses the concerns and roadblocks public speakers face and how to best practice and prepare to avoid them. Beginners and experienced public speakers alike will find something new to take away from this book every time they read itand every time they prepare to speak. I know I do.

Angela Inzano, The Chicago Bar Foundation

Faith has written a fun, thoughtful, and most helpful book for anyone who speaksor needs to speakin public. The sections for lawyers are full of good advice, and lawyers and others will also benefit greatly from the other public-speaking and media-handling advice she offers. These are truly words from the wise!

Ken Masters, Masters Law Group

Being Heard: Presentation Skills for Attorneys is a must-read for attorneys of all experience levels. Full of sound, practical advice from start to finish, it will put new attorneys years ahead of their colleagues, and even the most seasoned trial attorneys will pick up valuable pointers and understand in a new light lessons already learned.

Damian Capozzola, Esq., The Law Offices of Damian D. Capozzola, Los Angeles, CA

Presentation skills is something that everybody in law or business has to do. Doing it well is essential to success, but nobody ever teaches you how to do it. Until now. Faith Pincus breaks down the art of successful presentation skills into bite-size chunks. Shell help you analyze your audience, prepare your message, and deliver your talk. She identifies all the common mistakes speakers make and warns you away from them, especially including misuse of PowerPoint. Her best tip: Enthusiasm on the part of the speaker really counts! And if you actually arent so enthusiastic, fake it.