barrister

The work

Barristers give specialist legal advice to solicitors and other professional clients, and represent individual clients and organisations in court or at tribunals.

Their work includes:

• meeting solicitors (and other professionals such as architects, surveyors and accountants) who consult barristers on behalf of their clients
• researching points of law from previous similar cases
• writing opinions and advising solicitors and other professionals
• preparing for a case by reading statements and law reports, and talking with the client if necessary
• representing clients in court or at tribunals or public enquiries – presenting the case to the judge and jury, cross-examining witnesses and summing up.

Barristers have the right to appear in the higher courts.

The amount of time that barristers spend in court depends on the type of law they specialise in. Specialists in civil law (contracts, property, family law and torts) and chancery law (wills, trusts, estates, tax and company law) mainly do advisory work and spend little time in court. Criminal law specialists spend most of their time in court and preparing for cases. 

Most barristers (around 80%) are self-employed and work in private practice. The rest work as specialist legal advisers in industry, commerce, and central or local government – this is known as the ‘employed Bar’.

Hours and Environment

Working hours can be long and may include evenings and weekends. Barristers may also spend a lot of time travelling to the venue where a case or inquiry is being heard.

Most barristers work in offices called chambers, which they may share with other barristers. In London, most chambers are in the Inns of Court.

Barristers wear a wig and gown when in court.

Skills and Interests

To be a barrister, you should:

• be confident
• have excellent spoken and written communication skills
• have a good memory and be able to take in and analyse large amounts of information
• be logical and pay attention to detail
• be able to explain matters clearly, with good presentation skills
• avoid becoming emotionally involved in distressing cases
• be able to cope when working under pressure
• be discreet - information needs to be kept confidential.

Entry

To become a barrister, you must complete two stages of training - academic and vocational: 

You can complete the academic stage by gaining either:

• an approved law degree (at class 2:2 or above), or
• a degree in any other subject, followed by the Common Professional Examination (CPE) or a Postgraduate Diploma in Law (PgDL).

See the Bar Council websites for more details about law degrees and postgraduate courses (details in the Further Information section below).

Entry requirements for law degrees vary, but you will often need three A levels with good grades, plus at least five GCSEs (A-C). You should check with course providers. Some universities ask you to pass the National Admissions Test for Law (LNAT) before accepting you for a law degree - see the LNAT website for information (details in the Further Information section below).

Most barristers begin training straight after getting their law degree, but this is not essential.

See the Training section below for details about the vocational stage.

Training

After passing the academic stage, you must complete the vocational stage of training to qualify as a barrister. The vocational stage involves:

• joining one of the four Inns of Court

• completing a one-year full-time or two-year part-time Bar Vocational Course (BVC), and 12 qualifying sessions (educational activities) with your Inn. After this you will qualify, which is known as being ‘called to bar’

• spending 12 months in ‘pupillage’, which is practical training with an experienced barrister. You will usually spend six months shadowing and six months on supervised practice, and also take formal training courses in advocacy and advice to counsel. ( From 2008, you will not be ‘called to the bar’ until you have completed pupillage).

You must also take a forensic accountancy course, either during pupillage or in your first three years of practice.

See the Bar Council websites for full information about the vocational stages.

You must also take regular continuing professional development (CPD) training throughout your career. Newly qualified barristers must complete 42 hours of CPD in their first three years of practice.

Opportunities

Training to become a barrister is very competitive and there are usually more applicants than places at each stage of training. Once qualified, it can be difficult to secure tenancy in chambers.

Many barristers are based in London. Others practise in major cities like Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Chester, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle.

Most barristers are self-employed. However, some work for commercial employers, or in local or central government.

After ten to fifteen years' experience, barristers may apply to become a Queen's Counsel (known as 'taking silk'), which is necessary to become a High Court judge.

Barristers may also work as legal advisers in magistrates' courts - see the Court Clerk profile for more information. Some move into senior positions in industry and commerce.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

During pupillage barristers receive at least £10,000, although some may get as much as £42,000 a year.
Most practising barristers are self-employed and earn between £20,000 and £260,000 a year.
Barristers employed by the Crown Prosecution Service earn between £22,000 and £55,000.

Further information

289-293 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7HZ
Tel: 020 7242 0082
http://www.barcouncil.org.uk

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