n. speaking or acting on behalf of an individual or group to uphold their rights or explain their point of view. An individual engaged in advocacy is called an advocate, of which there are two general types: A case advocate represents a single individual, and a class advocate represents a whole group. An example of a case advocate is a therapist who speaks for a client in court hearings or other situations involving decisions based on the client’s mental health or related issues. An example of a class advocate is an individual in health care that represents consumers to protect their rights to effective treatment. See ombudsman.