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Are you looking for a conference speaker who won't send the audience to sleep?

I know, a lawyer would normally be the last person on your list to give a speech, seminar or workshop. Acts of Parliament, clauses and sub clauses..(yawn)...I'm falling asleep as I write this..

What causes audiences to sit up and listen?

People think of law as being very, very serious. Well it is, but that doesn't mean you have to be sombre telling people about it. The reality is that the more sombre a speaker is, the more the audience will tune off. It is not just about education, it is also about entertainment - call it infotainment if you like.

I mix education with entertainment

Audiences learn at my seminars and workshops because I mix education with entertainment. How do I do that? Well, for starters I avoid talking about Acts of Parliament and other legal gobble-de-gook. Instead, I create analogies to draw pictures in the audiences mind, or stories to illustrate a point.

Since the audience can visualise what I am talking about it makes the speech come alive and be enjoyable. They also learn at the same time.

What will the audience learn?

I can speak for almost any length of time you need from 40 minutes to 3 hours to a 1 day workshop. Obviously the length of the speaking engagement will dictate what I can cover. Currently, I offer the following topics:

How to avoid minefields in NZ Employment Law (1 - 3hours) - a general seminar which covers the fundamental principles of New Zealand employment law.
How to fire the employee that doesn't want to go (and avoid legal hassles) (1 hour - 1 day) - this focuses specifically on how to dismiss staff and not get sued and can be presented in either a short seminar or a larger workshop.

Why not hear for yourself

They say the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Listen to some clips of me speaking and get an idea of what to expect. The clips are very short but if you need larger ones just email me.

Using analogies to make a point
Using case studies to begin

If you can't see the play buttons in the right hand columns simply click here and here.

Why event organisers engage me to speak

The reason event organisers have engaged me to speak is because of my underlying aim: to make sure that the audience goes away with a better understanding of the topic than before they entered the room. I don't do that by bombarding the audience with boring facts but by taking the time to explain things in a way which most lawyers wouldn't even think of - maybe that's why they call me the Approachable Lawyer!

Here is what one event organiser had to say about my speaking:

"A lawyer would not normally have been my first port of call"
We hadn’t had speakers before I became a committee member so I needed to find someone who would not only reflect well on me as the organiser of the event but who would also be informative and interesting. A lawyer wouldn’t normally be my first port of call - you typically think of lawyers as dry and poor speakers. However, I had heard Michael speak before and I liked the way he could "hold" an audience with his presence. I wasn't disappointed. He opened with an entertaining case study which immediately captured the room. He managed to keep the audience with him whilst providing information relevant to our industry. The audience went away with information which highlighted issues which they hadn’t previously been aware of. Michael was very accommodating in the run up to the event and everything went smoothly on the night - I would definitely use Michael again. Yolanda Alba - Committee Member Landscape Industry Association of New Zealand.

It is not just about the audience

It is not just about the audience, it is also about the person organising the event. I will work closely with you to deliver content that you want your audience to hear. Don't be afraid to ask if you want something specific. Also, I don't want to be the one giving you sleepless nights before the event so I will keep in touch to make sure everything goes right.

How much?

That really depends on what you are looking for. Since one size doesn't fit all, it is best to email or call (09 358 2725) me for a quote.

Are there any other questions?

Not only do my audiences get the chance to ask questions but so do you. So, if you have any further questions about my speaking either email or call me (09 358 2725). If you simply want to enquire of my availability or book me then the same methods will work.

Regards,

Michael Smyth LLb. (Hons.), Dip, Cert
The Approachable Lawyer

Ps. If you have read this far then I have succeeded in not sending you to sleep!

Conference speaker who won't send the audience to sleep Do lawyers make you want to go to sleep?

When you think of lawyers you think of clock watching professionals whose only concern is to charge for every single second you talk to them. However, Michael is not like that. He will sit down and have a conversation with you pretty much when you want to talk about it. It soon became clear to me that money wasn't his only concern but that uppermost in his mind was the outcome for me. When we spoke he focused on me and the issues in hand and made me feel extremely comfortable no matter how uncomfortable or frustrating the situation. His pleasant demeanour was always evident. So yes, I would definitely recommend Michael to anyone else who has a problem with their employer. Jennie Tiers, Auckland.

I had never had to use an employment lawyer before so it was a bit of a venture into the unknown for me. I found the service I got from Michael was tremendous especially the way he kept me constantly updated with developments. What particularly impressed me was his approachability and clear assessment of the situation which I faced. I would have no hesitation recommending him to anyone else in a similar predicament. JS, Auckland.

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Contact Michael Smyth
PO Box 91053 AMSC
Auckland 1030
New Zealand
P: +64 9 358 2725
F: +64 9 358 2715
M: +64 21 320 171
E: michael@approachablelawyer.com

In the UK:
P: +44 709 204 5664
F: +44 709 204 5664