Typical Career Progression
| |
Position |
Remuneration |
Experience |
Education |
| Start Position |
Junior Counsel |
Withheld |
0-10 years |
Degree |
| 1st Promotion |
QC or Senior Counsel |
Withheld |
10+ years |
Postgraduate |
| 2nd Promotion |
Magistrate |
Withheld |
By appointment |
Postgraduate |
| 3rd Promotion |
Judge |
Withheld |
By appointment |
Postgraduate |
**The above table should be used as a guide only
Typical accountabilities and responsibilities
| Junior Counsel |
Handles straight forward matters, assists the QC on larger cases. |
| QC or Senior Counsel |
Decides which cases to take on, prepares cases and writes legal opinions, makes sure arguments are fit for court, represents clients in the court environment. |
| Magistrate |
Adjudicates civil cases in which damages less than specified amounts, minor misdemeanour cases not involving gaol or fines in excess of specified amounts |
| Judge |
Federal and state trial judges have jurisdiction over all cases in their systems. Appellate court judges have the power to overrule decisions made by some judges if they find legal errors or contradictory legal precedents. |
**The above table should be used as a guide only
Career Path & Employment opportunities
There are numerous career paths options for an emerging barrister. You can specialise in areas such as:
- criminal law (Driving Under Intoxication, assault, theft)
- conveyance (property settlements)
- family law (divorce, child care issues)
- personal injury
- tax
- litigation
- business law (contracts, partnerships mortgages) and
- estate law (trusts, wills probate).
You can work in public interest agencies such as legal aid where you represent defendants with limited resources in criminal cases. As a Public Interest Barrister you also assist low-income or disadvantaged people with civil matters, including landlord-tenant litigation, family law issues, immigration matters and health care law.
You can move from a barrister role to a magistrate (who hears criminal matters to determine whether defendants will be committed for trial) and then to a judge. Finally you may end up as a Supreme Court or High Court Judge, presiding over civil and criminal proceedings in the highest courts of law in the land. These courts ensure trials run fairly according to the rules of law and evidence. However judges and magistrates can also be appointed from the ranks of solicitors. It is less common for barristers to be appointed Magistrates. You do not have to be a Magistrate before you become a judge.
About the Author
Careernav
Careernav have written this career profile in consultion with senior industry representatives and industry associations who for reasons of conflict of interest cannot be named. Careernav have also reviewed information available from the public domain and drawn upon their combined 27 years experience in executive recruitment. This profile is a true representation of the career.
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