There is also another route in which the non graduates can qualify as solicitors, if they become legal executives first. This route will only be eligible to candidates who are mature enough, and this route will take longer than what the graduate route would.
There are a lot of expenses to pay when becoming a solicitor, especially in the training process. This is because there is a financial problem and students will usually have to pay the fees of the Legal Practise Course and it can cosy anything up to £7000. Also they will then have to support themselves during that year. The likely hood of somebody from a poorer family is quite unlikely as they cannot afford to pay for the course and they are then prevented from becoming solicitors even if they did obtain a good law degree. Some students may take out bank loans and students will then be starting the training period will a large debt. There is a way of overcoming this problem, and this is to go to a university which offers a four year degree course, it includes a law qualification and a practical course so that students only have to pay £1000 per year for their fees.
There are many solicitors working in all different firms but depending on what firm you are in the work required can be quite different compared to other firms. There are many firms which range from high street firms to big city firms. A small high street firm will be a general practice, and will advise clients on many different topics for example housing and business matters, whilst a solicitor in practise will be likely to spend some of their time interviewing clients, and negotiating on their behalf. Also they will spend a large quantity of their time on paperwork (drafting contacts, wills, leases, and dealing with conveyance). A solicitor may also stand up for their client in a court, and pursuing their client’s case further. A solicitor may not handle criminal cases civil actions only. Large city firms usually concentrate on things such as business and some commercial law. The amounts earned by solicitors vary as the different types of firms, but there are top earners in big firms who can earn anything up to £500,000 annually, whilst solicitors at the bottom end can earn less than £30,000 a year for example sole practitioners. Solicitors can deal with advocacy in the magistrate’s court and the county court. A solicitor will deal directly with a client and will enter a contact with them.
Barristers are mostly referred to as ‘the bar’. They are controlled by their own professional body-the general council of the bar. All barristers must also be members of one of the following court inns, Lincoln’s inn, Inner temple, Middle temple, and Gray’s inn.
Barristers that are at the bar practising are often self employed, but they do usually work from a set of chambers, were they can then share administrative expenses with the other barristers. A majority of barristers will concentrate on advocacy, but there are some who will specialise in the area of tax and company law. All barristers have the right to audience in all courts in England and Wales. Those who will choose to concentrate on advocacy doing paperwork, giving advice and drafting documents will do this for the use in court. Usually barristers will operate something that is known as the cab rank rule, and this is where they cannot turn down a case if it is on the area of law that they deal with, they will be free to take the case, although barristers can turn down a case when it requires an investigation, or when it includes a service that they cannot provide. The access to justice act 1999 now allows barristers working for the cps to keep their rights of audience; also it allows barristers who work in a solicitors firm to keep the right to present cases in court.
Legal executives work in solicitors firms as assistants. Legal executives often deal with more strait forward cases, for example preparing wills or leases, keeping it simple. Legal executives also have certain rights of audience in court. The partners in the firm that the legal executive works for is responsible for their work.
There are many similarities between solicitors, barristers and legal executives.
These are as follows….
Barrister and solicitors - between prospective barristers and solicitors, they both face many financial problems in their time of becoming and doing their jobs
- Non graduates will only do one year of formal law for the common professional course to become either.
- The legal service ombudsman examines barristers and solicitors.
- They both can work together, (solicitor briefs the case for barristers.
- Both barristers and solicitors with an advocacy are eligible to apply to the lord chancellor to become a queens council (QC)
- Also barristers and solicitors can get sued for negligence by their clients.
- You need an A level or something equivalent to become either of these.
- Solicitors and barrister’s profession for representing ethnic minority are both equally represented.
Solicitors, barristers and legal executives all have rights of audience. Also solicitors and legal executives both can work in the same place and they do the same kind of work. For example they both draft documents. They prepare wills, and can interview clients. Like barristers and solicitors, legal executives are responsible for their own work. Solicitors and barristers are both liable for negligence.