Law and Improvisation

[Allison Gilmore]

Does any one have experience teaching improvisation to attorneys? I've been involved in teaching trial technique - but have been asked to submit proposal to Law School for teaching improvisation to alumni.

Specifically, I am looking for any published journal articles or books that might help bridge improv and law.

Have done that type of work for business and for medical professionals - but not for law. Thanks!

[improtour]

hi... i have some article...I have written articles in Spanish on Improvisation for entrerprises... may be this are good for you (my english is so bad, i know!)...

Omar....
www.improtour.com

[Elvin K. Box]

Hi Alison! Sorry for delay in getting back to you.

With a profession such as the Law, unless you are lucky enough to be speaking with someone who ‘Gets’ Impro and how it can be applied in a Learning and Development environment…take it step by step and try as hard as possible to use ‘their language’ and ‘their frame of reference’. The Law is very black-and –white, dislikes surprises and ‘flights of fancy’ thought processing- all of which are the very embodiment of Impro!

OK, some feedback of your ideas: “1st idea - using improv training for an alumni weekend - the idea was to provide an experiential activity that would be seen as innovative and different. no real outcomes projected other than them having fun and experiencing something new and different.” –
To my mind, a really cool way to go. No pressure, have fun and experiment…then you can discuss how you can apply this within their firm for Learning and Development. Excellent! I got the Gig with BPP Law School in London (who by the way are far sighted, innovative and the very embodiment of a ‘Learning Organisation.’) on the back of such an experience. One of their Guys was exposed to my work through such an event, where I was presenting the Power of Stand Up Comedy as a ‘Presentation Master-Class.’ We now share an excellent working relationship.

”2nd idea - use improv in the "trial technique" program for the graduating students, in order to better prepare them for both counselling their clients and navigating the courtroom environment more successfully. how to react to change/surprise, etc.”–
An ideal Learning and Development ‘Proto-type’…post such an ‘Alumni-Type’ weekend as described above.

”3rd idea - use improv to help teach faculty how to be better facilitators of group discussion/classroom feedback, etc.” –
If they can get into this…maybe a great thing to do for a 2 Hour session. Be prepared for a ‘Hard Time’ though!! Just because the people who have hired you think it would be great to use Impro, don’t think for one minute the people who are to be exposed to you are going to be so welcoming!! I actually did this at BPP Law School for the same reasons you have outlined.

Yeah, so, hope that is helpful. If you would like me to share with you the brief document I prepared for reaching out to the likes of Financial and Legal firms on the value of Impro in Learning and Development, please just drop me an email.

Yes, I have an MBA for my sins!! I now Tutor on the OU Business School MBA programme. Indeed, Construction is my profession and I have been fortunate enough to work with two excellent American Program and Construction Management firms during my career – Lehrer McGovern from New York and Schal Associates from Chicago.

And I totally agree; we comedians must find a way to make a living!

Speak again soon!
eKb

[Allison Gilmore]

Hey thanks! No worries about timing for reply - it's all good. I taught 2 classes last week in addition to my "normal" life - so I've been kinda busy as well.

Thanks for your feedback. I defintely want to pursue option 1 first, then 2, and option 3 - who cares?!?! ;) Just kidding because I work with faculty every single day in my "real" job and have taught them as well. It's funny because the ones who are really good teachers - who really don't need any help - are always the ones to sign up for sessions such as this to improve their teaching. The ones who really need it, are too shy to attend. So, for now, I"m going to focus my teaching on students instead of faculty,

I appreciate all your offers of help and would graciously accept your offer "to share with you the brief document for reaching out to financial and legal firms". Thanks so much!!!

Cheers!

[Allison Gilmore]

Thanks, Elvin. I appreciate your offer to share and help.

I was invited to attend a meeting to discuss possibilities for improv at our Law School and during the meeting, we developed several ideas. That may be the problem I'm having getting them to commit - we may have given them too many options.

1st idea - using improv training for an alumni weekend - the idea was to provide an experiential activity that would be seen as innnovative and different. no real outcomes projected other than them having fun and experiencing something new and different.

2nd idea - use improv in the "trial technique" program for the graduating students, in order to better prepare them for both counseling their clients and navigating the courtroom environment more successfully. how to react to change/surprise, etc.

3rd idea - use improv to help teach faculty how to be better facilitators of group discussion/classroom feedback, etc.

That about sums it up. Thanks for sharing any of the concepts you used in your teaching at BPP.

Lastly - I tried to accept your "friend request" on the network - but it's not behaving the way I think it should. Has not yet allowed me to add you = so don't think I've not accepted your request.

Take care and thanks again. I see you have your MBA and work a great deal in the construction industry. That's an interesting mix - improv, MBA, construction. Mine is more like this - improv, business school, ministry. I guess all of us comedians must find a way to make a living!

[Elvin K. Box]

Hiya!!

Full reply tomorrow, just to say that with BPP I did a bit of your 1st and 3rd Idea. Idea 2 is cool...but potentially a step to far too soon. I was asked to talk with Pricewaterhousecooper's Legal guys, which I did, but they really could not get into it!

Speak tomorrow,
Ciao 4 Now,
eKb

[Elvin K. Box]

Hiya!

I have provided a session for the 'BPP Law School' in London, England. The session was to help with 'Presentations' and 'Thinking Differently'. I also used some 'Stand Up'.

Biggest challenge is to get them to break their 'Mind-Set', quite honestly. What in particular is the intended Outcome?

Let me know and I shall see how I cahn help.

Best,
eKb

[Alan Montague]

Allison
I'm pretty sure that Joey Novak a member of our commnity and a lawyer has done something in this area
(Of course it could just be my memory going...)
Regards
Alan

[Allison Gilmore]

awesome, alan. thanks! i will see if he is in the network and will reach out to him directly. thanks!

[Paul Levy]

Last year I did work for a group of solicitors based in the UK (In Brighton). We developed a series of scripts and used improvised forum theatre. Contact me if you'd like to chat further, Alison.

[Allison Gilmore]

sounds great, paul. i'm trying to decide whether i should focus on the direct business application - communication, leadership, team building - that sort of thing - and keep it fairly generic. or whether i should try to delve deeper into the profession and how improvisation specifically applies to the work of solicitors. would like to chat further, if possible