Legal Personnel Flashcards
Q: What is the role of a solicitor?
A: Solicitors provide legal advice, draft documents, negotiate, and represent clients in lower courts. Some can advocate in higher courts with additional qualifications.
Q: What are the qualifications and training required to become a solicitor?
A:
Law Degree (LLB) or non-law degree + GDL.
Legal Practice Course (LPC) – training in practical legal skills.
Training contract (2 years at a law firm).
Admitted to the Roll of Solicitors by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Q: What is the role of the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA)?
A:
Regulates solicitors, ensuring high professional standards.
Investigates misconduct complaints.
Can fine, suspend, or strike off solicitors.
Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of solicitors?
A:
✅ Direct client contact.
✅ High earning potential in big firms.
✅ Specialisation in different areas of law.
❌ Expensive training.
❌ Competitive job market.
Q: What is the role of a barrister?
A: Barristers specialise in court advocacy, legal opinions, and complex legal arguments. They mainly work in the Crown Court, High Court, and above.
Q: What is the training route to become a barrister?
A:
Law Degree (LLB) or non-law degree + GDL.
Bar Course (formerly BPTC) – practical advocacy training.
Called to the Bar by an Inn of Court (e.g., Inner Temple, Middle Temple).
Pupillage – 12-month training under a qualified barrister.
Q: What is the role of the Bar Standards Board (BSB)?
A:
Regulates barristers, ensuring ethical practice.
Investigates complaints and misconduct.
Can discipline barristers, impose fines, or disbar them.
Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of barristers?
A:
✅ High status and prestige.
✅ Specialised advocacy skills.
✅ Opportunity to become a judge.
❌ Pupillage bottleneck – very competitive.
❌ Limited direct client contact (except via Public Access Scheme).
Q: What are the different levels of judges in the UK?
A:
Justices of the Supreme Court – hear important appeals, set precedents.
Lord Justices of Appeal – sit in the Court of Appeal (criminal and civil divisions).
High Court Judges – handle serious civil and criminal cases.
Circuit Judges – sit in the Crown and County Courts.
District Judges – sit in the Magistrates’ and County Courts.
Q: What are the qualifications and training for judges?
A:
Must have been a solicitor or barrister for a number of years (varies by judicial level).
Training is provided by the Judicial College.
Q: What is the role of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC)?
A:
Selects judges based on merit.
Ensures judicial diversity and independence.
Q: What is judicial independence, and why is it important?
A:
Judges must be free from government influence to ensure fair trials.
Protected by the Constitutional Reform Act 2005.
Q: What are the advantages and disadvantages of judges?
A:
✅ High salary and job security.
✅ Independent from politics.
✅ Opportunity to shape the law.
❌ Long working hours.
❌ Slow promotion process.
Q: What are legal executives, and what do they do?
A:
They are qualified lawyers who specialise in a particular area of law (e.g., property, family law).
They have similar roles to solicitors but cannot act as full advocates.
Q: What is the training route for a legal executive?
A:
Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX) diploma.
Work-based learning (minimum 5 years).
Chartered status after experience and exams.
Q: How do legal executives differ from solicitors?
A:
Cheaper training than solicitors.
More limited rights of audience (unless they gain additional qualifications).
Q: What is the role of CILEX (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives)?
A:
Regulates legal executives.
Sets training standards.
Investigates complaints.
Q: What are the key regulatory bodies for legal professionals?
A:
Solicitors – Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).
Barristers – Bar Standards Board (BSB).
Legal Executives – CILEX Regulation.
Q: What powers do these regulators have?
A:
Investigate complaints.
Impose fines or suspensions.
Remove professionals from their roles (disbar, strike off, etc.).
Q: Why is legal regulation important?
A:
Protects clients from malpractice.
Maintains public confidence in the legal system.
Ensures high standards of legal ethics.
Q: What are the issues regarding diversity in the legal profession?
A:
Underrepresentation of women and ethnic minorities, especially in senior positions.
Expensive training costs create barriers to entry.
Class bias – Oxbridge graduates dominate top firms and judiciary.
Q: What measures have been introduced to improve diversity?
A:
Flexible working policies for women in law.
Scholarships and bursaries for disadvantaged students.
Judicial Diversity Forum promotes fair hiring.
