Speaking
Cara Graham, J.D.
Teaching lawyers to see more clearly, judge more wisely, and communicate more deliberately.
Cara Graham, J.D., is a former trial attorney, award-winning communication educator, and founder of Above the Bar Advocacy. Through practical, engaging presentations grounded in courtroom, classroom, and leadership experience, she teaches lawyers to strengthen the professional judgment and communication that shape credibility, advocacy, and reputation.
Her work helps lawyers advocate more effectively for their clients, their value, and the professional lives they want to build.
Programs can also be tailored around professional judgment, client communication, professional self-advocacy, leadership, and career development.
One featured presentation is:
Both, Not Opposites
Legal practice is full of false choices.
Be confident or be approachable. Be decisive or be collaborative. Be authoritative or be authentic.
But the most respected lawyers rarely succeed because they choose one over the other. They succeed because they learn to integrate both.
In Both, Not Opposites, former trial attorney and award-winning communication educator Cara Graham introduces a practical framework for strengthening professional communication by moving beyond these false choices. Drawing on decades of courtroom advocacy and teaching experience, she helps attorneys recognize how sophisticated judgment is communicated—not just possessed.
What Audiences Will Learn
Acknowledge the Pressure → Discern the Variables → Respond with Intent
Recognize the false choices that limit professional communication.
Respond to pressure without sacrificing either authority or authenticity.
Make sophisticated judgment more visible through clear, intentional communication.
Strengthen credibility across interactions with clients, colleagues, courts, and leadership.
Attendees leave with a practical way to recognize false choices, widen their perspective, exercise sound judgment, and communicate more deliberately under pressure.
Ideal Audiences
Law firms, bar associations, legal departments, law schools, women lawyers’ groups, and attorney and professional development or leadership programs.
Formats
Presentation formats include:
• Keynotes
• CLE presentations
• Workshops
• Virtual presentations
• Leadership retreats
About Cara
Cara Graham is a former trial attorney, award-winning communication educator, and founder of Above the Bar Advocacy.
Before becoming an attorney, Cara taught communication and coached competitive speech and debate. She later spent more than a decade practicing law, appearing in court almost daily for several years and handling more than 50 jury and bench trials as a prosecutor and solo practitioner. She also served as a university development leader and taught Criminal Law.
Her work brings together courtroom judgment, teaching, and communication to help lawyers see more clearly, judge more wisely, and communicate more deliberately.
What Colleagues Say
“Cara understands people and knows how to build trust and work through difficult issues, balancing the need to be direct with the need for compassion. She also knows how to coach and mentor others as they build those skills in themselves. These skills are vital to being an effective and reliable lawyer. Cara’s multifaceted legal career and insightful approach to communication make her a dream coach for any lawyer looking to expand and improve how they can meet each client’s needs.”
Paul Neese
Senior Assistant Attorney General
Child Advocacy and Protection Division, Oregon Department of Justice
“I worked on many cases, including major felonies, with Cara when we worked together in the Domestic Abuse Unit at the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office. She is incredibly organized and intelligent. Her courtroom presence was always impeccable, holding the perfect balance of clear communication, legal knowledge, and appropriate strategy. She was both diplomatic and determined. She is personable, with a gift for teaching and mentoring.”
Tina Kramer
Retired Investigator
Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office
Invite Cara to Speak
Whether you’re planning a keynote, CLE, workshop, or professional development program, Cara works with organizations to create practical, engaging presentations that help lawyers see more clearly, judge more wisely, and communicate more deliberately in the moments that matter.
Want to discuss your audience, what they are navigating, and what would be most useful? Let’s talk.