Intercultural Communication for Lawyers in a Multicultural Society

Communication is key to the legal profession. For this reason, Janet Jackson and Beth Yoder are offering a workshop designed to equip you with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of intercultural communication in a multicultural society.

This course emphasizes the impact of cultural norms on legal communication, such as how silence, authority, and emotion are perceived across cultures. Participants will explore dimensions of intercultural competence, such as identifying assumptions, adapting communication styles, and recognizing nonverbal cues. The workshop will also examine core professional responsibilities of lawyers through different cultural lenses, particularly with respect to communication norms and boundaries. Through interactive exercises and legal scenarios participants will gain practical experience in applying intercultural communication strategies to their legal practice.

Important themes are

• Cultural Norms and Legal Communication: How cultural norms shape legal communication, including the role of silence, authority, and explanation in legal contexts
• Intercultural Competence: Developing skills to recognize and adapt to cultural differences in communication styles, values, and expectations
• Nonverbal Communication: Understanding the impact of body language, eye contact, gestures, and proxemics in cross-cultural legal interactions
• Client Relations and Trust: Strategies for building trust and effective communication with clients from diverse cultural backgrounds

This course is interesting for lawyers and legal professionals working in multicultural environments, legal practitioners seeking to enhance their client relations and communication skills, professionals interested in developing cultural competence for ethical and effective legal practice.

De voertaal tijdens deze cursus is Engels, maar vragen kunnen ook in het Nederlands gesteld worden en de cursusslides worden ook in het Nederlands aangeboden.

The lecturers

J.R. (Janet) Jackson,  JD is a former practicing lawyer in the USA and is a Professor Emerita with over 25 years teaching law in the USA and internationally. She now works as a Wellbeing, Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the Faculty of Law, University of Groningen.  Her professional focus integrates legal culture, leadership development, wellbeing, and DEI, informed by her experiences in higher education, nonprofit leadership, and conflict management. She supports leaders and institutions in building inclusive, high-trust workplace cultures that foster belonging and sustainable performance.

B.A. (Beth) Yoder, MA-IR is an expert in intercultural communication. She has worked in the field in Europe, the Middle East and the USA helping leaders and teams improve performance through improved communication and self-reflection. With a deep commitment to fostering cultural competence in legal practice, Beth now works at the University of Groningen as Wellbeing, Diversity and Inclusion Officer at the Faculty of Law. Her work emphasizes the intersection of law, communication, and cultural awareness, ensuring that professionals can build trust, resolve conflicts, and collaborate successfully in multicultural environments.

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