Barristers

Barristers

General Information
1. 12,000 barristers paractise in England and Wales
2. Controlled by - the General Council of the Bar
3. Inn of court - Lincoln's Inn, Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn
Training
1. Law Degree (2-4 years, £9,000 a year, 8 key parts)
  1. Membership of an inn of court (attend the inn)
    1. Bar Proffessional Training Course (1 yr ft/ 2yr pt)
      1. 'Called to the Bar'
        Pupilage (2x6 months)
        Practise as a Barrister
2. Non - Law Degree
  1. Common professional Examination, 1 year, law course,
    1. Membership of an Inn of court (attend the inn)
      1. Bar Professional Trainging Course
        'Call the Bar'
        Pupilage (2x6 Months)
        Practise as a barrister
3. Non-graduate mature student
  1. Common Professional Examination, 2 year law course
    1. Membership of an Inn of court
      1. Bar Professional Training Course
        'Called to the Bar'
        Pupilage (2x6 months)
        Practise as a barrister
Pupilage
1. On the job training
  1. shadow a barrister
    1. after 6 month, can appear in court
      1. Paid a small salary
Work
1. Generally Self-employed
2. Work in a small set of chambers
  1. Around 15-20 barristers
3. employs a practice administrator
4. difficult to find tenancy
  1. Many do a thrid 6 months
5. Many now can work from home
  1. Chambers can be the best way to establush a sucessful practise
6. Advocay
  1. tax
7. Company law
8. Paper Work
  1. Writing opinions
  2. Giving opinions
  3. drafting documents
Direct Access
1. it was only possible to hire a barrister through a solicitor
  1. this created extra expense
2. the Bar started to operate a system call Bar Direct
  1. under which certain professions can contact a Barrister
3. From 2004 the Bar granted direct access to everyone for civil cases
4. not allowed for criminal or family work
Cab rank rule
1. Cannot turn down cases
  1. If it is an area of law they deal with
2. rule does not apply when client approachs the barrister
3. can turn case if it requires investigation or support services they cannot provide
Employed barristers
1. Full rights of audience
  1. appear in any courts in england and wales
Queen's Counsel
1. Have to have practise for 10 years
  1. apply for queen's Counsel (QC)
2. Known as taking silk
3. Can take on more high profile cases
4. All non QC's are called juniors
5. until 2004 QCs were appointed by the lord chancellor
6. Critisied fro being secretive and a little sexist
  1. Less than 10% were women
7. not representative for puralistis Britian
8. it has an effect on the composition of the judiciary as most judges are chosen from QCs
New Appointment System
1. Independemt selection panel
2. Pay £2500 fee
3. Provide references and interviewed by members of the panel
  1. Then recommended to the Lord Chancellor
4. The first appointment were made in 2006, 443 applied, 175 were appointed
5. most notable fact is the number of women who were successful
6. only 33 female, 10 EM and 4 solicitors

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