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Description

This is an ideal career for logical thinkers. Barristers are briefed by solicitors and evaluate a client’s case or commercial request, research precedents, give specialist advice and represent clients whilst upholding the laws of the land.

Career Advice - Barrister Career

You work in chambers on a self-employed basis, present cases in court or tribunal proceedings and usually specialise in one of several areas including criminal law, commercial law or common law. You are expected to provide expert advice to individuals including solicitors. Depending on your speciality, you either spend a lot of time in court or spend more time in an office environment. Those involved with criminal law tend to be more focused upon the court environment.

What you do every day

You spend a lot of time reading, researching cases similar to the ones you are dealing with and always seeking legal precedents to strengthen your argument. Once prepared, you draft legal advice and legal documents, conduct negotiations, appear in courts or tribunals or have discussions with your client about the way forward. In criminal cases you spend most of your time appearing in the higher courts before a jury. In civil matters you appear before a Judge only and argue your case. If you specialise in family or property you tend to work more from the chambers environment.

Personality that best suits this occupation

You need to have the ability to comfort and reassure people. Likewise, you must be persuasive, a logical thinker, an influencer and an excellent negotiator. A barrister must have communication skills in all forms, whether oral or written. You must have presence and stature. You have to be able to absorb and distil large quantities of information, get to the nub of the issue and make a recommendation or give advice.

Any law career has pressure as many times, particularly in criminal cases, a person’s life is at stake. Above all else, you must have a heightened sense of right and wrong and an unquestionable character and ethics. Common sense and the ability to remain calm whilst under intense pressure and scrutiny complete a skill set only the very gifted barristers possess.

Best thing about this career

One of the most rewarding aspects of working as a barrister is to enjoy the thrill of victory after winning a court case.  It is also putting your brain to good use for the betterment of mankind.  It’s great knowing that you’re helping to defend a person’s legal rights. Barristers are highly paid as you are usually handling complex and expensive matters. A profession that is highly respected in the community.

Worst thing about this career

Losing a case is seriously disappointing. The large quantity of reading that is required is not always enjoyable. You even find that outside of work in social settings people will expect you to discuss the law. Your chambers are usually buried in paper and the stress of a heavy caseload weighs on you almost every day.