How to Become a Barrister

Becoming a barrister is a dream for many, and it’s easy to see why. Whilst it is an incredibly demanding field, working within the law can also be exciting and rewarding both emotionally and financially. You will need a high level of intelligence, a logical mind, and keen attention to detail to succeed as a barrister. But what does a barrister actually do? How do you find barrister jobs and what kind of barrister salary can you expect when you’re fully qualified? Here’s everything you need to know about how to become a barrister:

What is a Barrister

At the highest level, a barrister is a type of lawyer. The main roles undertaken by barristers are courtroom advocacy and litigation, but for many barristers, no two days are exactly the same. Barriers can represent both individuals and business organisations in the courtroom. Barristers provide an independent source of legal advice and are qualified to advise their clients on their cases.

Many people mistakenly assume that barristers and solicitors are the same thing, but this is not true: whilst barristers and solicitors often work closely together, solicitors do not work within courtrooms, and often hire barristers to represent a case in court. Barristers and solicitors are both lawyers, with the term lawyer serving as an umbrella title for anyone who is qualified to give legal advice.

In the UK, barristers are most likely to be self-employed and working in chambers, however some barristers are employed in private organisations, as well as in public organisations such as charities. Government agencies such as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) or the Government Legal Profession also employ barristers within the UK. Barristers generally only become involved in legal cases where an appearance in court will be required, because courtroom politics is their specialism. As a barrister, you would represent both the client and their solicitor, pleading the case on their behalf.

Personal Qualities of a Barrister

Are you thinking of becoming a barrister or considering barrister jobs? Then you will need to demonstrate the following skills and personal qualities in order to secure a role in this particularly competitive field:

• A high level of academic aptitude. This should include a particular focus on academic research skills and the ability to hone and utilise academic concepts
• Awareness of both legal and commercial practices and terms. You will need a robust and well-founded understanding of the law, particularly within your specialism, if you hope to become a successful barrister
• You will have good language and communication skills, with the ability to represent an argument both clearly and persuasively
• You will have excellent written skills, with the ability to carve a case and express your argument and your ideas in a way that is both clear and easy to understand
• You will have excellent advocacy skills and the passion needed to advocate for each of your clients
• You will be social and outgoing, with good communication skills and the ability to communicate openly with a wide range of people from a wide range of different backgrounds
• Because many barristers are self-employed, you will need to be self-motivated and possess excellent time management, people management, and project management skills
• You will need the ability to remain calm under pressure and to continue to present your argument in a high-pressure situation without raising your voice or losing your control
• You will need to have a high level of attention to detail to focus on the intricacies of your case, and of the law in general
• A high level of IT literacy
• Integrity, responsibility, an accurate moral compass, and the ability to clearly distinguish between right and wrong
• Becoming a barrister can be a physically and emotionally challenging career choice, so you will also need determination and stamina if you choose this career path

What a Barrister Does

When you decide to become a barrister, you will generally focus on one specialism, rather than working with clients across all aspects of the law. As a barrister, you will become the master of one sector of the law, rather than embrace a general overview of the whole field, as solicitors often do. Barristers dedicate themselves to one of the following 24 practice areas of the law:

• Banking and debt finance law
• Charity Law
• Civil litigation dispute resolution law
• Commercial law
• Construction law
• Consumer law
• Corporate law
• Criminal law
• Employment law
• Environmental law
• Family law
• Housing law
• Human rights law
• Immigration and asylum law
• Insurance law
• Intellectual property law
• Personal injury and clinical negligence law
• Private client law
• Property law
• Public companies and equity finance law
• Restructuring and insolvency law
• Shipping law
• Social welfare law
• Tax law

What you will do on a day-to-day basis will vary slightly depending on the specialism you choose, and whether you choose to work in a self-employed position, or for a public or private enterprise. For example, criminal barristers will spend a lot of time in the courtroom focusing on advocacy for their clients, whilst family law barristers are more likely to juggle their time between the courtroom and mediation outside of the courtroom. If you choose to specialise in commercial law then you are likely to spend the least amount of time in the courtroom, as so much of your role will involve advisory work and drafting contracts.

Regardless of your specialism, all barristers will undertake the following responsibilities to some extent, as part of their day-to-day role:

• Work closely with both clients and solicitors. Barristers can be instructed either by solicitors on behalf of their clients, or they can be approached by potential clients directly
• Ensure you understand the law as it evolves, and use your skills to interpret the law to suit your clients’ needs
• Take control of and manage a wide range of legal briefs (cases) often dealing with multiple briefs at the same time
• Conduct legal research to hone and strengthen your case, having the skills to find and research the relevant points of law, and know how to use these as part of a successful case
• Clearly express your written opinions, using these to advise both solicitors and other professionals that you may be working closely with
• Preparing cases for court. As well as writing extensive documents, this will also involve preparing legal arguments, and holding conferences with clients and other relevant parties
• Communicating clearly with clients to ensure they understand how the law will apply to their case, any evidence that you will be presenting, and what you consider to be both the strengths and the weaknesses of their case
• Spending time in court where you will present arguments and represent your clients
• Within the courtroom your role will also involve examining and cross-examining any witnesses and summing up the reasons why the court should support your client’s case. Within the courtroom, your role will always involve representing the best interests of your client
• Outside of the courtroom you will also draft legal documents and associate settlements for your clients. In these cases, your clients can either be individuals, or larger corporations

How Much Does a Barrister Earn?

Wondering how much a barrister will earn? A barrister’s salary will vary depending on how many hours you choose to work, and the sector you choose to specialise in, with corporate barristers able to demand higher salaries than charity barristers, for example. The good news is that the Bar Standards Board (BSB) does set minimum salary levels for those who are taking the bar: if you are working at a pupillage level (which is the final stage of qualification for the bar) then you can earn no less than £18,866 per year in London and £16,633 outside of London. However, this is just a minimal level, rather than any average available, with some barristers at this stage of their career earning considerably more than this. If you work at a high-level commercial environment, for example, you can expect to earn over £50,000, even at the pupillage stage of your career.

As with all professions, the amount you earn will increase as your levels of experience increase, so:

• As a newly qualified barrister, you can expect to earn between £25,000 and £100,000 per annum
• When you have reached five years of experience as a qualified barrister you can expect to earn between £50,000 and £200,000 per annum
• When you have reached ten years of experience as a qualified barrister you can expect to earn between £65,000 and £1,000,000 per annum

Around 80% of barristers working in the UK are self-employed, which means that they set their own hourly rates. There are many factors that will affect what these rates are including, but not limited to, the area in which you specialise, your geographical location (with London-based barristers generally earning more than those in rural locations), your reputation and success rates, and your levels of experience. The lowest rates posed by newly qualified barristers can be as little as £20 per hour, whilst the UKs top barristers in the more lucrative fields (such as tax law) can command up to £900 per hour.

It’s worth bearing in mind that in the earliest stages of your career your earnings are likely to be very low, and that you will often not be paid for a job until it is complete. You must also take into account the deductions you will have to pay if you work on a self-employed basis. These include rent for chambers, clerks’ fees, tax, insurance and travel costs.

Qualifications Needed for a Barrister

The path to how to become a barrister is a lengthy one, with many qualifications needed to operate within this field. First you will need to hold a graduate degree in a relevant field: if you don’t already hold a law degree (but have a degree in another subject) then you can take a law conversion course, known as the common professional examination (CPE), the graduate diploma in law (GDL) or PGDL (postgraduate diploma in law).

Once you have secured the relevant basic-level law qualification, you will need to take a bar course. This was formerly known as the Bar professional training course (BPTC) but can now be referred to as a variety of different names, depending on which vocational body is leading the course, including:

• Bar Course
• Bar/Barrister Training Course (BTC)
• Bar Practice Course (BPC)
• Bar Vocational Course (BVC)
• Bar Vocational Studies (BVS)

Once your bar course is completed you will need to begin your pupillage. This is effectively an on-the-job training process where you spend a year (divided into two ‘sixes’) shadowing an experienced barrister and possibly take on your own cases. Once you have completed the pupillage period you will need to find a set to take you on permanently – this is known as ‘tenancy’. Finding pupillage isn’t always as easy as it sounds, as these are incredibly competitive positions, so it’s important to begin applying for these positions as far in advance as possible: often even whilst you are undertaking the final year of your initial law degree, before you take the bar.

On the Job Training

Effectively, the final year of your journey to becoming a barrister (the pupillage stage) is a form of on-the-job training, allowing potential barristers to gain experience by watching qualified barristers at work.

Once your pupillage year is over, maintaining your own training and development within your sector is essential to your continued career as a barrister because you cannot renew your licence to practice without demonstrating your dedication to this.  Newly qualified barristers must complete 45 hours of continuing professional development (CPD). Nine hours of this development period should be spent on advocacy training and three hours should be spent on ethics, during your first three years of practice on the New Practitioners Programme. After that, you must create an annual CPD plan, with details of your CPD objectives, activities and reflections, in line with the Established Practitioners Programme (EPP).

Continued professional development, regular training, and keeping up to date with any significant changes to the law in general, and to your specialism in particular, is vital for all barristers. This is a profession where life-long learning is integral, and where continued education should be viewed as a vital part of your role.

Professional Bodies

In order to work as a barrister, you must be called to the bar and become a member of the bar association; you can’t begin your second six in pupillage until this has taken place. As well as being registered with the Bar Council, you will also need to secure a  Practising Certificate. This certificate is then renewed annually online via the Authorisation to Practice renewal process.

Being called to the Bar is the main professional body for barristers, but there are other supportive bodies you can join. One such group is the Young Barristers’ Committee (YBC), which is part of The Bar Council.  Getting involved with this organisation from an early stage of your career can help to raise your profile and could also be beneficial in developing your professional skills.