Barristers

If you enjoy research and debate, and are able to think on your feet, this could be the career for you.

Barristers are professional advocates who deal with court work at all levels. They are sole practitioners, which means they depend entirely on themselves for income. They largely rely on solicitors for work.

A barrister’s role is to specialise in providing an advisory and/or advocacy service for which they are ‘briefed’ by a solicitor (or professional body etc). Barristers therefore can be seen as consultants to solicitors. A lot of the work involves conducting research. Some barristers specialise in specific areas of law. Criminal, commercial and family law are the most common, while other specialisms can include employment or labour law and human rights law, personal injury and litigation.

Many legal cases are settled out of court. However, when a case is brought to court, a barrister will then appear to argue the case on behalf of the client, defending or prosecuting. In the Irish and UK legal system, court hearings in contested cases are conducted in an adversarial manner. Each side presents its case and seeks to challenge that of its opponents through the evidence of its own witnesses, cross-examination and legal argument. This forms the core work of the barrister.

Hours

The working hours can vary greatly for a barrister, depending on how many cases they juggle in any given week. The hours spent in court reflect a very small portion of the number of hours actually worked. Long numbers of hours are spent researching and preparing cases, in addition to conducting briefs with solicitors.

Location

The Irish legal jurisdiction is divided into circuits (the geographical areas where a circuit court judge resides). Barristers are attached to certain circuits, although they are not confined to practising in their circuit. Newly qualified barristers will attach themselves to one circuit and will generally remain based there for the duration of their professional career.

In Northern Ireland, barristers are based at the Bar Library in Belfast, which provides office and library facilities. Barristers work from a new library building in Chichester Street and the old library at the Royal Courts of Justice. They also work at a number of other courts and tribunals around Northern Ireland. Like all barristers, they will also do much preparation work at home.

Core activities

  • Pleading cases in courts.
  • Representing individuals and organisations who appear before public enquiries and tribunals.
  • Giving advice on legal matters, drafting legal documents and giving expert legal opinions on particular issues.

Starting out

Qualification as a barrister takes place in three stages: the academic stage, the vocational stage and the trainee stage.

Life as a newly qualified barrister is guaranteed to be precarious and insecure for the first four to five years. It can be difficult to become established, and financial support from family or another source of income may be essential in those first years.

The costs of getting started are considerable. In the Republic of Ireland all barristers must pay an annual subscription to the Law Library; in Northern Ireland, new barristers pay an annual ‘practising certificate’ fee to the Bar Library.

The first briefs that a new barrister takes on are vitally important. Solicitors and more experienced colleagues will closely watch the way they are handled and presented in court. If they are impressed by what they see, more briefs may be offered.

Who would it suit?

A barrister needs to display evidence of thorough, organised and well researched preparation and, most importantly, the ability to think and act on his or her feet. Since barristers depend almost entirely on solicitors for work, they need to be able to network effectively and build on any contacts they already have. Successful networking requires confidence, initiative and a willingness to push oneself beyond one’s personal boundaries of shyness. Life as a barrister is most definitely not for the meek. Some of the most successful barristers are those who enjoyed and excelled at debating during second and third level education.

Essential qualities for a successful career at the Bar are:

  • Articulate communication
  • Excellent research skills
  • Social ability
  • Confidence
  • Resilience
  • Ability to work under pressure
  • Initiative.