Legal Personnel - Paper 1 Flashcards
What are the three main types of legal personnel?
Solicitors, Barristers, and Legal Executives
What are the different roles of solicitors?
Interview clients and take statements
Draft documents, such as contracts
Write letters on client’s behalf
Represent clients in a police station
Advise clients on a range of issues
Advocacy in the Magistrates Court, and in the Crown Court if they become a Solicitor-Advocate
What does the Law Society do?
Governs solicitors and represents them
What does the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) do?
Deals with complaints about solicitors
What are the different roles of barristers?
Advocacy meaning representing clients in court
Full rights of audience meaning they can present cases in any court in England and Wales
Paperwork such as writing opinions on cases, give advice, drafting documents
Can become a member of the King’s Counsel (KC) when they get enough experience
What is the barrister’s role in a criminal trial?
Presenting opening and closing statements
Cross examination of witnesses
Acting as an advocate for the CPS
Proving the case beyond reasonable doubt or attempting to raise reasonable doubt
What does the General Council of the Bar do?
Governs barristers and represents them
What does the Bar Standards Board do?
Sets education and training requirements and code of conduct for barristers, regulates them and disciplines any in breach of the code
What is the role of the legal executives?
Qualified lawyers who have worked in a solicitor’s firm for at least 5 years and usually specialise in one particular area of law
They become a solicitor if they pass the LPC
Deal with the more simple parts of a solicitor’s job, e.g. draft wills, advise people with family problems, advise clients accused of petty crimes
What does CILEx do?
Provides training and code of conduct for legal executives
Which body investigates complaints and provides punishment to legal executives?
CILEx Regulation Board
