Legal Personnel

Question 1

What are the two types of legal personnel?

Answer 1

1. Solicitors
2. Barristers

Question 2

What is the first route for a solicitor?

Answer 2

• Trainee must obtain an undergraduate degree in Law
• Legal Practice Course (LPC) = One-year course to learn solicitor skills: negotiation, client interviews, advocacy, legal research, drafting documents, and business skills
• Training Contract = Obtain a paid, two-year training contract with a legal firm, Crown Prosecution Service, or local authority.
• The trainee is admitted by the Law Society as a solicitor. The solicitor’s license must be renewed annually.

Question 3

What is the second route of a solicitor?

Answer 3

• The second route is identical to the first route other than the first stage receiving an undergraduate in another subject.
• They are able to compete a conversion course which is a Graduate Diploma in law which condenses the topics into a year

Question 4

What is the third route for solicitors?

Answer 4

• The third role is through the legal executive which is a non-graduate role
• The trainee would complete work based qualifications without a degree
• They must first become a legal executive which is a legal professional with limited authority
• They must complete the CILEX exam
• They can they take the legal practice course

Question 5

What is the role of a solicitor?

Answer 5

1. Legal Advisers = Providing legal advice to clients
2. Representation = They represent their clients in legal proceedings
3. Drafting legal documents = Solicitors draft legal documents such as wills

Question 6

What is the role of a barrister?

Answer 6

1. Advocacy = They represent and advocate for their clients in court
2. Legal advice = Barristers provide legal advice particularly in specialised areas of law
3. Legal Research = They research relevant laws and precedents to build their case

Question 7

What are the three stages of barrister training?

Answer 7

1. Academic Stage: Trainees must earn a law degree or, if their degree is in a different subject, complete the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL) or Common Professional Examinations (CPE).
2. Vocational Stage: Trainees take the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC), where they learn practical skills like advocacy, legal research, and case preparation.
3. Pupillage Stage: Trainees complete a one-year work placement, split into two six-month periods. In the first six months, they observe and assist barristers, while in the second six, they can represent clients in court under supervision. This stage is paid, but typically at half the salary of a trainee solicitor.

Question 8

What is the Barristers Governing Body?

Answer 8

• General Council Bar

Question 9

What is the Barrister Regulatory Board?

Answer 9

• Bar Standards Board