Criminal Barrister, Charterhouse Chambers
Professional advocacy where argument, judgement and spoken communication are central to the work.
John Dove
The person behindthe practice.
John Dove works with people preparing for moments in which their words matter. His approach combines the discipline of competitive speaking and legal advocacy with the practical demands of standing in front of a real audience and having to deliver.
Whether the setting is a courtroom, a boardroom, a stage or a wedding reception, the principle is the same: understand what needs to be said, remove what does not belong, and prepare until the speaker can own the material.
Background
Built aroundthe spoken word.
John's work sits at the intersection of advocacy, competitive speaking and coaching.
As a Criminal Barrister at Charterhouse Chambers, John works in an environment where argument, clarity and effective spoken communication have real consequences.
He is also the founder of Speed Mooting and has extensive experience of competitive speaking, where structure, persuasion, timing and performance are tested under pressure.
His private coaching applies those same disciplines to the speaking situations his clients face.
The objective is not to teach a collection of tricks. It is to understand what needs to be communicated, why it matters and how to deliver it convincingly when the moment arrives.
Speaking well is not about sounding like somebody else. The strongest delivery comes when the speaker understands the material sufficiently well to stop performing it and start owning it.
The Approach
Confidence is usuallythe result of preparation.
Public speaking is often treated as a problem of confidence. In practice, confidence is frequently the consequence rather than the starting point.
When the message is unclear, the structure is weak or the speaker does not know what comes next, nerves have room to take over.
John's approach works from the material outward. First establish what needs to be communicated. Then improve the structure, language and delivery. Finally, rehearse it under enough pressure that the speaker knows they can rely on it.
The aim is not perfection. It is control.
01
Understand
Establish the audience, purpose and stakes.
02
Build
Shape the argument, story or message.
03
Rehearse
Say it aloud and identify what does not work.
04
Refine
Improve the language and delivery until the material feels owned rather than memorised.
Experience
Different rooms.The same discipline.
Founder, Speed Mooting
Competitive speaking that places argument, structure and delivery under immediate pressure.
Nationally ranked competitive speaker, Association of Speakers Clubs
Competitive public speaking experience at national level.
President, Liverpool Speakers Club
Active involvement in the development and practice of public speaking.
Private coaching across the UK
One-to-one work centred around the specific event, audience and speaker.
Have somethingimportant to say?
Every engagement begins with the moment you are preparing for.
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