Chilton Varner and the George Lavin Memorial: Why Silent Advocacy Still Matters

Chilton Davis Varner and George J. Lavin Jr. with IADC program imagery and the title “Why Silent Advocacy Still Matters.”

Feature

Chilton Varner and the George Lavin Memorial: Why Silent Advocacy Still Matters

October 5, 2026

By Thomas G. Oakes | PhillyLegalNews The 2015 George Lavin memorial brought together moderator Chilton Davis Varner and panelists Mary ...

Edward A. Gray reputation lesson demonstrated by water pouring from a bottle onto a table during a legal teaching moment

Legal Analysis

You Can’t Put the Water Back: A Lesson on Reputation I Will Never Forget

by Thomas Oakes

February 14, 2026

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What lesson did Edward A. Gray teach about reputation? Edward A. Gray, Esquire taught that a lawyer’s reputation, once damaged, ...

Engraved clock presented to Thomas Oakes in appreciation for his service at the 30th Annual IADC Trial Academy

About

This Clock Marks More Than Time: A Turning Point at the IADC Trial Academy

by Thomas Oakes

February 14, 2026

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Answer Block What does the clock from the IADC Trial Academy represent? The clock represents a professional turning point. It ...

rofessor Barbara Lynne Ashcroft, Thomas G. Oakes, and Jack Delany, Esquire, following the Temple LL.M. in Trial Advocacy trial technology lecture series.

Depositions

How Teaching Trial Technology Transformed a Generation of Trial Lawyers at Temple’s LL.M. in Trial Advocacy

by Thomas Oakes

May 4, 2026

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Key Takeaways Temple’s LL.M. in Trial Advocacy adopted a “learn by doing” model that integrated technology directly into trial performance. ...

Attorney presenting smoothly with high-tech trial tools while opposing counsel panics with outdated equipment in a courtroom.

News Updates & Technology

You Don’t Take a Knife to a Gunfight: A True Story About High-Tech Trial Presentation

by Thomas Oakes

December 3, 2025

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Modern trials move quickly. Juries expect clarity, judges expect efficiency, and courts increasingly understand that high-tech trial presentation improves comprehension ...

composite image showing the Silent Advocacy book cover beside a watercolor courtroom scene with an attorney addressing a jury

Legal Education

Silent Advocacy, Chapter VI

by Thomas Oakes

July 18, 2026

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Silent Advocacy in a Modern Civil Jury Trial Silent advocacy in the courtroom is the nonverbal persuasion created by your ...

George J. Lavin, Jr. and Tom Oakes - Lunch at LaFamiglia

News Updates & Technology

🏛️ Court Officials: The Forgotten Key to Silent Advocacy

by Thomas Oakes

May 4, 2026

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Chapter V – The Silent Advocacy Series The Lesson That Began It All When George J. Lavin, Jr. published Silent ...

Judge meeting with attorneys during final pre-trial conference — Silent Advocacy Series, Philly Legal News

Legal Analysis

Chapter IV: The Final Pre-Trial Meeting with the Court

by Thomas Oakes

May 4, 2026

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Silent Advocacy Series – Teachings of George J. Lavin Jr., Esquire and Chilton Davis Varner, Esquire Introduction When the trial ...

A Witness using smartboard to annotate X-ray during interactive deposition in Philadelphia personal injury case.

Depositions

Interactive Depositions: Technology Reshaping Testimony in Philadelphia

by Thomas Oakes

May 19, 2026

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Answer Block What is an interactive deposition — and why are Philadelphia personal injury attorneys using them more often?An interactive ...

George Lavin and colleague Chilton Varner at the Proving Grounds during trial preparation

Legal Analysis

The Lavin Method – Silent Advocacy

by Thomas Oakes

April 11, 2026

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Lesson 3, Part 3: Building Trial Readiness – Exhibits, Witness Files, and Court Preparation Trial success is rarely determined by ...

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