Listening for Lawyers
13 February 2013
Abraham Fuks, Professor in the Department of Medicine at McGill University and member of the Research Group in Health and Law, analyzed the critical role that active listening plays in overcoming obstacles and building trust within the client-advocate relationship.
He explored the societal, professional and personal barriers to skillful listening, while examining the vital role that listening plays in effective client-centred advocacy by drawing parallels between the physician-patient relationship in healing and the lawyer’s relationship with their client.
Abstract
The enormous power of listening, language, and cultivation of the physician-patient relationship in healing has strong parallels to an attorney’s relationship with the client. This workshop will analyze the critical role that active listening plays in overcoming obstacles and building trust within the client-advocate relationship. We will explore the societal, professional and personal barriers to skillful listening and examine the vital role that listening plays in effective client centered advocacy. Finally, we will review the different forms of listening and discuss the value that listening can bring to an advocacy that is based on trust, hope, and respect, permitting the counselor to understand and effectively tell the client’s unique story.
