A Short Brief on Representation by Counsel in the UK

Our trip to Middle Temple, one of the four Inns of Court in London, did not disappoint. It is physically stunning, a collection of beautiful courtyards and historic buildings. As important, it is a center of education, activity, chambers (law offices), and support for legal professionals. Plus, if you’re a member or a lucky guest, you get to eat in the Middle Temple “cafeteria”: The students and I first heard from Christa Richmond, the Education Director of Middle Temple, about the “weird and wonderful” world, as she put it, of the Inns of Court and law practice in England and Wales (referred to in this post as the UK, but other parts of the UK have different procedures). There are some significant differences from the U.S. For example, in the UK the profession is divided into solicitors, of which there are over 136,000, and barristers numbering about 16,000, of which a subset handle criminal cases. Barristers are legal specialists and advocates who in essence have been certified to represent clients in court, including trials of serious criminal charges. Unlike in the U.S., you can practice law without law school, not that I didn’t enjoy every moment of my three years! Generally, you can study law as an undergraduate, then undertake a vocational stage involving a professional training course, followed by practical training consisting of professional work. Plus, if you’re a barrister, you get to wear a wig in court, assuming you can figure out how to put one on. It’s a [...]