Voice coach Hetal Varia is with us in the newsroom, asking us to knock our shoes off. Following her instructions, we stand at ease, our feet resting solidly on the floor. Mimicking Varia, we place our hand on our throat as she hums the wail of a siren. It lifts over the background score of thunder and rain lashing on the windows. It is hard to believe that the petite Varia, who turns 32 this week, can sound as loud and clear as this.

The trick is that Varia has harnessed the power of her voice, and is keen that young lawyers do so too at her upcoming workshop. On June 13 and 14, Varia will lead an intensive workshop at Si Bambai, Fort, for practising lawyers on vocal confidence, speaking with authority, and conserving your voice in the long run. "The workshop is not a personality development class. It is for young lawyers to understand how they can use their voice better, and then it is up to them to use it as they wish in courtroom situations," says Varia, who holds a postgraduate degree in voice studies from the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, London.

Voice coach Hetal Varia. Pic/Datta Kumbhar

You don't have to be a law student or a practising lawyer to know that dramatic court scenes are best left to American television serials and Bollywood. In fact, if you have sat in for one of the hearings at the sessions court in Fort, you will see that the chance to and inspire the milling crowd around you with your oratory skills is not the point at all. In fact, amidst the noise in the corridors, consider yourself lucky, as you sit in the third row, if you can hear the arguments presented by the lawyers to the judge. Mrunalini Deshmukh, one of the city's top divorce lawyers, says that arguing in court comes as a package. "The topmost things are the facts of the case, followed by the relevant law applicable to the facts. Then comes how you interpret the facts, and, lastly, what's as important, is how you present the argument," says Deshmukh, who has handled the divorces of noted celebrities.

No room for drama
Chirag Balyan, assistant professor of law at Maharashtra National Law University (MNLU), says that every advocate has his/her own style. He evokes the  example of Harish Salve, who practices at the Supreme Court and formerly served as the Solicitor General of India, and Mukul Rohatgi, the 14th Attorney General for India. "Both have contrasting voice modulation, intonation and demeanour, and are equally effective in court. Courtroom craft is about presenting arguments in a coherent and structured manner. At the end of the day, every lawyer's aim is this: can you persuade the judge with your case theory in those crucial two minutes?" says Balyan.