Traditionally, if a member of the public wanted to instruct a barrister, it was necessary to instruct a solicitor as well. This inevitably pushed up the price of the legal services provided. But now the rules have changed. In appropriate cases members of the public and organisations can instruct a barrister directly. Doing so is cost effective, not only because it avoids the extra expense of instructing a solicitor, but also because barristers tend to have lower overheads than solicitors and therefore charge lower hourly rates.
The rules have changed – members of the public and organisations can instruct a barrister directly
Some of our barristers, who are public access accredited, are able to provide a broad range of legal services direct to members of the public, including advisory work, drafting and legal representation in court. As can be seen on the rest of our website, our core expertise is criminal law and judicial review. We also have a particularly strong track record of representing individuals and organisations in the appeal courts, such Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Guidance to members of the public who are considering instructing a barrister directly has been produced by the body which regulates barristers (the Bar Standards Board) and it is available here.
For further information, please contact our Clerks; they will be happy to discuss your requirements. For direct access instructions or questions please call us on 020 3301 0910. When we receive your completed form you will be contacted within three working days either by a barrister or by one of our dedicated public access clerks to conduct an initial telephone conference.
Should a barrister be able to accept your instructions we are required by law to ensure we seek further documentation to prove your identity. If you require any further or additional information at any stage then please do not hesitate to contact our Clerks.
