Barristers are specialists in advocacy and representing individuals or commercial organisations in court. They will advise their clients on their specific cases. A barrister is usually hired by a solicitor in order to represent a case in court. Such a professional will get involved in the case only when advocacy is needed. He or she will plead the case on behalf of the solicitors and their client. On the other hand, the client can directly approach a barrister and ask him/her for representation in court. Most of the time, a barrister will work on self-employment basis while some are employed by government agencies and departments. This article provides an overview of barrister skills and qualifications.
There are different types of barristers who specialise in a specific area of law such as commercial law, criminal law, sports law, chancery law or estates and trusts, entertainment law, and common law that deals with housing, family, and personal injury cases.
A graduate in any subject can pursue a career as a barrister. A non-law graduate should undertake a law conversion program before beginning their professional training. Training as a barrister involves three stages, which are:
. Academic – One should be an undergraduate in law or any other subject. But the latter should follow the Graduate Diploma in Law to start the career.
. Vocational – Once should complete the Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) – which is one-year if you do it full-time and two years if you do it part-time.
. Pupillage – One should have at least one-year of practical training with an authorised pupillage training institute. The student should work under the supervision of an experienced barrister during this period.
The work experience is essential in order to pursue a career as a barrister. A qualified barrister can earn between £25,000 and £300,000. In fact, if the professional has more than 10 years of experience in private practice, the salary can rise to £1,000,000. There are many essential skills that one should develop in order to pursue a career as a barrister. Here are some of the essential skills in this regard:
. Academic and research abilities
. Interpersonal skills
. Advocacy skills
. Legal and commercial skills
. Self-discipline and self-motivational skills
. IT skills
. Responsibility & integrity
. Stamina & determination
. People and time management skills, etc.
This article provides more information on barristers from the perspective of clients.