If you’re a lawyer looking to pursue a career in the legal field, there are two main roles to consider: barrister and solicitor. Both offer important legal services, but there are some big differences between them. Barristers often work closely with solicitors, but there are a few key differences between them too. Knowing what each role entails is the first step in deciding which one might be right for you between barrister vs solicitor.
We’ve put together some info on the solicitor vs barrister roles from different angles so you can decide which one is right for you. Keep reading to find out more!
Roles Of A Barrister
Barristers are in charge of defending cases in court, arguing legal points, and cross-examining witnesses.
They’re also in charge of drafting legal pleas and presenting them to the court.
Barristers abide by the core duties, conduct, and discipline of the BSB Handbook.
They wear wigs and gowns in court.
Most barristers are self-employed and work in chambers, while some work for government departments or private organizations.
They often specialize in one area of law, but their main role is to solve problems and resolve disputes.
A lawyer’s job may involve a variety of things, including but not limited to:
- Gaining knowledge and understanding of the law.
- Getting advice from clients and lawyers.
- Conducting legal research.
- Drafting legal opinions, and providing legal advice to lawyers or other professionals.
- Getting your case ready for court, like having client meetings and coming up with legal arguments.
- Helping clients understand the legal aspects of their case and how strong it can be.
- Representing clients and arguing in court.
- Witness testing and cross-examination.
- Considering overview of the factors that a jury and a judge should consider when deciding whether or not to uphold a client’s case.
- Negotiations of settlements.
Areas of Practice
- If you’re a criminal lawyer, you’ll be doing a lot more advocacy work in court.
- Family barristers could be representing clients in court when it comes to divorce.
- Barristers who specialize in commercial law tend to spend less time in court and more time working on drafting and advice.
Roles Of A Solicitor
A solicitor is a lawyer who works with clients to help them take legal action, write contracts, and negotiate settlements.
They work on both high-profile and low-profile cases, usually in law firms or within internal departments.
Clients can be anyone, from individuals to government agencies and private businesses.
A solicitor looks after the legal needs of their clients and can help them out in a variety of ways. For instance, they can:
- Making sure an individual’s rights are protected, and that they’re treated fairly by both public and private entities.
- Facilitate personal transactions for businesses.
- Providing assistance to individuals involved in civil litigation proceedings.
- Helping people through the process of divorce.
- Managing immigration and asylum-related matters.
A solicitor’s job involves talking to clients and other legal professionals, looking into cases and laws, writing legal papers, and defending clients in court.
A solicitor’s job can be messy while considering solicitor vs barrister job types, like dealing with court cases, or it can be uncomplicated, like dealing with your client’s business or personal stuff like a merger or a will.
Becoming A Barrister
Once you’ve finished an undergraduate degree in law, you’ll need to go through a Bar Practice Course or BPC, which is the next step in your training.
Once you’ve completed your Bar Practice Course, you’ll have six months to work on your Bar Practice.
During this time, you’ll be shadowing a barrister and then starting your own practice.
Becoming A Solicitor
If you don’t have a law degree, you’ll need to complete your law degree or a conversion course to become a solicitor.
If you meet the eligibility requirements, you can either take the SQE or the LPC.
The SQE is made up of two central exams and you need to have at least two years’ work experience.
If you pass both, you can then apply to the SRA for admission.
Once you’ve completed your LPC, you need to sign a training contract before you can apply for the SRA.
Barrister vs Solicitor Salary And Fee Structure
If you’re looking to become a Barrister, you can expect to start out on an average salary of just over £40,000, but the highest pay can be over £200,000.
The average salary for a Barrister is just over £89,000.
It’s not easy to predict how much money Barristers will make, as they’re usually self-employed and charge their own rate.
That could mean their salary could be between what a trainee lawyer makes and what a top partner earns.
Criminal Barristers usually make much less than those in corporate roles, which have been hit hard by recent strikes in the UK.
Barristers make more money than solicitors, too – in fact, in a recent case involving Manchester City, a Barrister was reported to be charging around £10,00 an hour, which is about the same as a star player on the pitch.
The salary of a solicitor can vary depending on what they specialize in and how long they’ve been in the job.
On average, you can expect to get a starting salary of just over £34,000, but the top salaries can be over £140,00. The average salary for a solicitor is just over £55,000.
If you’re a trainee solicitor at one of the top city firms, you could get a salary of just under £5,000. It can go up to over £10,000 if you’re qualified, and it can be anywhere from £5,000 to over £7,000 depending on the partnership. A lot of these salaries are actually cut in half if you work on the high street.
If you’re thinking about becoming a barrister or solicitor after reading this far of solicitor vs barrister, it’s important to know what kind of fees they charge.
Barristers charge by the hour, while solicitors charge by the day.
Barristers usually charge an upfront fee before you start working, and then you pay every day after that.
Solicitors charge by time, which is known as the “billable hour” model.
They may also offer discounts or caps, but these are usually decided by senior solicitors, like Partners.
It all depends on the client and the type of work they do.
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Bottom Line
Basically, Barristers and Solicitors are both top-notch legal professionals, but they’re actually quite different when you compare barrister vs solicitor roles, fees, and more.
It’s up to you to decide which one is best for you, taking into account your personality and your skillset.
If you’re looking for a way to balance work and life or make more money, then Barristers or Solicitors might be the way to go.
Both of these careers are great for aspiring lawyers, if you pick the right one and manage it well.
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