Barristers give specialist legal advice and represent individuals or organisations in the courts, where they are referred to as counsel. Traditionally, barristers' clients were solicitors because until recently it was not normally possible for members of the public to go directly to a barrister. As the law has become more complex, barristers normally specialise in particular areas, such as personal injury, criminal, family or commercial law.
A barrister’s main work is to represent clients in court by presenting the facts of the case to the judge and jury, examining and cross-examining witnesses and summing up. When preparing for court cases barristers take instructions from clients and their solicitors, read briefs, law reports and witness statements as well as research similar examples of case law. Barristers also give written legal opinions on whether a case would be successful if taken to court.
Organisation and salary
Most barristers are self-employed. Some work in government departments and agencies such as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Government Legal Service. Others may work for voluntary organisations or charities.
Most barristers work in offices called chambers or sets. In London, most chambers are located in the Inns of Court. In other towns and cities they are near to court buildings.
Barristers generally work long hours including evenings and weekends. They may have to prepare a case or a written opinion at short notice[39]. They may also have to attend evening court sessions. Barristers may spend a lot of time travelling between offices and courts. For some court cases barristers wear a wig[40] and gown[41].
The salary during training (pupillage) is at least £10,000 a year. The majority of qualified, self-employed barristers earn between £25,000 and £300,000 a year. However, earnings vary considerably depending on experience and reputation and some may earn much more than this. In the CPS, income may vary between £29,000 and £80,000.
There are about 12,000 practising self-employed barristers in England and Wales, with about 8,000 in London. Around 3,000 barristers work as salaried employees for large organisations such as specialist commercial law firms and investment or finance companies, and around 1,300 work in government bodies.
Training
Prospective barristers need a qualifying law degree, e.g. Bachelor Laws (LLB), or GDL/CPE.
The vocational stage involves taking the Bar Vocational Course (BVC) which is one year full time or two years part time. The course is mainly practical and includes interviewing, legal research, opinion writing, case preparation and advocacy (court work) as well as legal knowledge.
In order to study for the BVC a trainee has to become a member of one of the four Inns of Court – Inner Temple, Middle Temple, Lincoln's Inn, and Gray's Inn – that have the exclusive right of admission to the Bar.
After the BVC, the final stage of training is pupillage, a year spent working and training with an experienced barrister. Trainees spend time shadowing[42] and observing their pupil supervisor, gradually taking on cases as they gain experience.
Training to become a barrister is a very competitive and often costly process. At each stage there are more applicants than places. Once qualified, it may be hard to get a permanent place (known as a tenancy) in chambers.
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