I am a qualified barrister able to offer tutorials focused on success in the Bar Practice Course, scholarship and pupillage interviews, and public speaking.

Find out more about Oliver

• 1) When did you develop an interest in your chosen field and in private tutoring?

  I developed an in interest in the field of public speaking and in particular in classical rhetoric over the course of the advocacy training during my legal studies. 

• 2) Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I teach public speaking and training for the Bar Practice Course (‘BPC’). The former has a range of applications and I really enjoy seeing the variety of ways students can bring improved public speaking skills to bear on their lives and careers. The subject is more focused but no less interesting. The BPC is a challenging and practically focused course and I enjoy helping already talented students achieve the grades they deserve with my assistance. 

• 2) Tell us more about the subject you teach, the topics you like to discuss with students (and possibly those you like a little less).

  I teach public speaking and training for the Bar Practice Course (‘BPC’). The former has a range of applications and I really enjoy seeing the variety of ways students can bring improved public speaking skills to bear on their lives and careers. The subject is more focused but no less interesting. The BPC is a challenging and practically focused course and I enjoy helping already talented students achieve the grades they deserve with my assistance. 

• 3) Did you have any role models; a teacher that inspired you?

  The barrister and author on classical rhetoric, Benet Brandreth KC is an inspiration in my tutoring. Benet’s talk to the London Library on classical rhetoric should be required watching for students of the subject. 

• 5) Provide a valuable anecdote related to your subject or your days at school.

  I used to volunteer to teach debating in prisons in London and the South-East of England. Our short debate courses would culminate with the prison debating team testing their skills against the Oxford or Cambridge University Union debate teams in a final debate in front of an audience and judged by an external panel. The interesting phenomenon was that, despite the prison team being relatively inexperienced and the university teams containing some of the best debaters in the world, the prison team would usually win the debate. I consider that this illustrates the importance of knowing your audience and being confident in your own environment. 

• 6) What were the difficulties or challenges you faced or still facing in your subject? 


  There is a perception that public speaking ‘cannot be taught’ or that it is an innate ability. I disagree and firmly believe that with the application of certain simple techniques one’s ability and confidence to speak in public increases very quickly. As regards the BPC, I sympathise with students who are required to synthesise a vast amount of knowledge over the course of only a few months. However, I have found that through identifying and focusing on particular weak points, whilst maintaining a student’s abilities in stronger areas, consistently excellent results are achievable. 

• 7) Do you have a particular passion? Is it teaching in general or an element of the subject or something completely different?

  As well as tutoring, I am currently completing a PhD in the field of urban planning law. If students are not careful I can speak for hours on the subject!