The legal profession consists of two main branches of lawyers, one being barristers the other being solicitors.

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The legal profession consists of two main branches of lawyers, one being barristers the other being solicitors. The two branches of the profession have their own areas of expertise and their own governing body. These bodies lay down the rules of training, practice and professional conduct, and require certain minimum standards of education. The regulatory and representative body for barristers is the bar council, whereas the governing body for solicitors is the law society.

Barristers are often referred to as the elite branch of the legal profession as historically they were the only qualified lawyers. There are around 10000 barristers in practice in England and Wales, and they are specialists in advocacy, they also prepare written advice, if asked to by a solicitor in a particular case.

To train as a barrister a first class or second class honours degree is required. If the degree happens not to be in law one must “convert” it by taking the Common Professional Examination or a Postgraduate Diploma in law. This is the academic stage of training. Once this has productively been completed, a potential barrister must join one of the four inns of courts: Gray’s Inn, Lincoln’s Inn, Middle Temple or Inner Temple. Once the prospective barrister has joined they are required to “keep terms”, until recently this required them to dine at the Inns of Court on 18 occasions. This obligation has been reduced to 12, and an alternative is now to attend additional education forums, such as weekend residential courses.

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The vocational part of a barristers training is the Bar vocational course. The course emphasises the development of legal skills, such as legal research, advocacy, criminal litigation, evidence and sentencing. Once this training has been completed applicants are “called to the bar”, they receive their vocational qualification at an Inns of Court ceremony. Those who intend to further as a barrister must then spend 12 months doing a “pupillage” shadowing a senior barrister.

Once qualified barristers are self-employed, although, they join a set of chambers where they share the services of a clerk and working expenses. The primary role of the barrister ...

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