Barristers Flashcards
BARRISTERS
- there are about 12,700 barristers who are self-employed in independent practice in England and Wales.
- barristers are referred as the ‘bar’-they are controlled by their own professional body
- all barristers must be members of one of four inns of court:Lincoln’s inn, inner temple, middle temple and grays.
Qualification and training
Entry to the ‘bar’ is normally degree based. Usually take the graduate diploma in law (GDL)
-all student also have to pass the bar professional training course.
Once the student passed the Bar professional training course, he or she is then called ‘into the bar’-this means they have officially qualified as a barrister.
Practical stage to their training which has to be completed=called PUPILLAGE
PUPILLAGE
‘On the job’- this is training where the trainee barrister becomes a pupil to a qualified barrister.
-this involves ‘work shadowing’ that barrister, can be with the same barrister for 12 months, or with two different pupil supervisors for 6 months each
Evaluation of the training
-the main problem is the financial one students will have to pay fees of the bar professionals(about 15 k)-some students wont be able to afford that, and won’t be able to become barristers.
-GDL is also expensive, a course that you have to do
Unis have increased fees to £9,000 a year-so that students are already in debt.
-also another problem is that there is over supply- not enough spaces for all ppl.
Role of the barristers
Barristers practising at the Bar are self-employed, but work from a set of chambers where they can share administrative expenses with other barristers.
Chambers are small with about 15-20 ppl-they would employ a clerk as a practice administrator-booking cases and negotiating fees
After barristers practiced for at least 10 years they can make a application for Queens counsel(this basically means they would take on harder and more complex cases)-more p’s
However most of the barristers would focus on ADVOCACY-this is presenting cases in court
Direct access
Anybody who instructed a barrister to go to the solicitor first.
- you don’t have to go to a solicitor in order to go to a barrister
- barrister must have additional training .
Employed barristers
- barristers can be employed by government organisations, the civil service, local government and business.
- the crown prosecution service employees a large number to prosecute cases in the criminal courts
Criminals advocacy
- in 2015 a proposed new system for lawyers doing advocacy in the higher court was announced.
- all lawyers will have to get accreditation under the quality assurance scheme for advocates-only be allowed in serious cases
