What is a Barrister?

Barristers are also known as Counsel (and fat cat, brief, hired gun & numerous unpublishable insults).  10% of lawyers are barristers.   A barrister must have a degree in law or a degree in something else and a Diploma in Law.  They then undergo 12 months training on the job (called pupillage).  During the first six months of pupillage a barrister cannot accept instructions.  Barristers who are in independent practice are self-employed but there are barristers who are employed, for example by a company or local authority.  Barristers work in a collective / cooperative called a Chambers.  Barristers cannot generally be instructed directly by a client – they must be instructed by a solicitor.  The exception to this is that they can accept instructions directly from certain professions such as accountants and surveyors for non-court work.  A barrister cannot refuse to represent someone for personal reasons unless they feel that they do not have sufficient experience or competence in the particular area of law.  This is called the cab rank rule.  In other words a barrister who specialises in family law cannot refuse to represent a father accused of sexual abuse.  Barristers are represented by the Bar Council (http://www.barcouncil.org.uk/)  and regulated by the Bar Standards Board (http://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/).