Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is a barrister?

There are around 15,500 barristers practising in the UK and Wales.

Barristers provide specialist legal advice and represent their clients in courts and tribunals.

Often, solicitors will refer work to a barrister, but it is also possible for a member of the

public to go directly to a barrister for advice or representation.

Typically, barristers do some or all of the following:

• Advising clients on the law and the strength of their legal case.

                        This often requires considerable amounts of legal research,

                        followed by writing an ‘Opinion’ for the client

                         in which the barrister sets out their advice;

• Holding ‘conferences’ with clients to discuss their case and give them legal advice;

• Representing clients in court. This can include presenting the case,

                cross-examining witnesses,

                summing up all relevant material and giving reasons why the court should

                 support their client's case;

• Negotiating settlements with the other side.

2. What is the difference between a barrister, a solicitor and a lawyer?

A lawyer is a general term that covers both solicitor and barrister. A solicitor is usually the

first person that a member of the public will go to with their legal problem. A solicitor will

often refer the work to a barrister for specialist advice or to appear in court to represent

the client. It is also possible for a solicitor to appear in court, if they have an additional

qualification to do so. A member of the public may also go straight to a barrister without

approaching a solicitor first.

3. What is a QC?

A limited number of senior barristers are made Queen's Counsel as a mark of outstanding ability. They are normally instructed in very serious or complex cases. Most senior judges once practised as QCs.

4. What do I need to do to qualify as a barrister?

Training as a barrister typically involves three main stages of training:

• Academic Stage: An undergraduate degree in law, or an undergraduate degree in any other subject followed by the conversion course (GDL);
• Vocational Stage: The Bar Professional Course (BPTC), one year full-time or two years part-time;
• Pupillage: One year spent in an authorised pupillage training organisation (either barristers’ chambers or another approved legal environment).

It is a highly competitive career to get into, with many more applicants than places for the BPTC and for Pupillages. For more information please see the Bar Standards Board "health warning" here: 

http://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/media/1363162/final_health_warning_for_bsb_website_24_jan_2012.pdf 

5. What is an Inn of Court?

Before you begin your Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), you must join one of the four historic ‘honourable societies’, the Inns of Court. The deadline for application is the end of May before you begin the BPTC. The four Inns are: Lincoln’s Inn, Inner Temple, Middle Temple and Gray’s Inn. The Inns continue to hold exclusive rights of admission to the Bar. This process, known as ‘Call to the Bar’ or ‘Call’, occurs after you have successfully completed the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) and have undertaken a number of professional exercises in the form of twelve ‘Qualifying Sessions’ at your Inn. The Inns provide a great deal of valuable financial assistance for the various stages along the route to becoming a barrister. You can apply to your Inn for a scholarship to help to pay for your GDL or BPTC.

6. What is a pupillage?

Pupillage is the final stage of training and is like an apprenticeship, lasting 12 months. Pupillage begins after prospective barristers have completed and passed the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), and must be started within five years of passing the BPTC. The first six months are non-practising. That is, the pupil barrister must not accept professional instructions during that period (except for noting briefs). During the second six months, the pupil may accept instructions on their own account provided that they have the permission of their pupil supervisor or head of chambers. Since the second six months are the ‘practising six’, pupils must be called to the Bar before commencing this.

7. What is the employed Bar?

Approximately 20 percent of barristers are 'employed barristers' and work in-house for an employer in industry, commerce or central or local government. This is known as the 'employed Bar'. The role of the employed barrister can vary greatly depending on their employer. The majority will work in specialist legal departments advising only the organisation they work for. Some may work in a solicitors' firm where they only do work for clients of that firm. It is also possible for barristers to be employed and self-employed at the same time.

There are several categories of practising employed barristers doing many different types of work. Examples include barristers employed by:

• Solicitors’ firms: there is a growing number of barristers employed in solicitors’ firms. These may be barristers who have spent some time in chambers or may be barristers straight from pupillage. Many are employed as advocates but there are others who carry out commercial work. As more solicitors’ firms become pupillage training organisations there are likely to be more barristers being trained in solicitors’ firms;
• The Government Legal Service (GLS): There are several hundred barristers and solicitors employed by the GLS. The Courts Service also employs lawyers as Magistrates Court clerks. Whilst the numbers of those exercising rights of audience in the GLS is steadily growing, the relationship with the self-employed Bar remains extremely cooperative. The GLS uses direct access to obtain both advice and advocacy services from Chambers;
• The private sector: Many company legal departments employ barristers who work alongside solicitors. Although barristers and solicitors tend to do the same type of work, barristers bring different skills (particularly analytical and presentation abilities) and many General Counsel like to have a mix of barristers and solicitors because of this;
• Local Government: most local councils employ barristers and the major councils are large employers of lawyers, both barristers and solicitors. The larger councils do most of their own advocacy in the lower courts;
• The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS): The CPS employs many barristers and solicitors who are almost entirely engaged in criminal advocacy. HMRC's prosecution arm, the Revenue and Customs Prosecution Organisation (RCPO) has recently been incorporated into the CPS;
• The armed forces: The armed forces employ barristers for advocacy and other work. There is now a Joint Services Prosecuting Authority, which operates within the military courts system;
• Regulators: Most regulators employ barristers and are a source of work for the self-employed bar;
• Other organisations: There are several other organisations such as charities, and NGOs which may employ barristers, many of whom will be on short term contracts.

8. Isn’t the Bar just for privileged white middle class men who went to Oxford or Cambridge?

This is not the case. The modern Bar is diverse and inclusive, as barristers reflect the community that they serve. 13% of pupillages are being taken up by people from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) backgrounds. The film 'The Bar is open to all' and the profiles of barristers on this website provide evidence of this.

Regardless of your background or gender, being a barrister can be an extremely rewarding career if you:

• Have a high level of intellectual ability;
• Are articulate and have excellent writing skills;
• Can think and communicate under pressure; and
• Have determination and stamina.

9. I don’t know any barristers. How can I get work experience?

You don’t need to know a barrister. Most chambers accept applications for work experience (known as a ‘mini pupillage’) from anyone who has begun to study a Law degree or GDL. However, some will consider applicants before this stage. If you don’t know where to start, you can search online for chambers that practise in the area of law that you are interested in. The websites of these chambers will usually tell you how to apply for a mini pupillage. They will often ask for a CV and covering letter. Once you have joined an Inn of Court, the Inn’s Education department will be able to assist you with applying for work experience.