Legal Personnel

• What are the 6 things that barristers do?

  meeting with clients

  advocacy

  drafting documents

  negotiating settlements

  writing opinions

  undertaking legal research
• How many practising barristers are there?

  16,000
• What % of practising barristers are there in London?


  60%
• Most practising barristers are self-employed.
• Some barristers are employed in organisations such as the Crown Prosecution Service.
• A barrister with 10 years or more experience can apply to become a King's Counsel.
• Who represents the interests of barristers in England and Wales?


  The General Council of the Bar.
• What does the General Council of the Bar promote?


  It promotes the Bar's high quality specialist advocacy and advisory services and makes known the Bar's view on issues to government.
• What is the Bar Standards Board?


  an independent body which regulates the profession of barristers.
• What is the purpose of the BSB?


  to promote and maintain excellence in the quality of legal services provided by barristers to support the rule of law.
• What is a legal executive?


  A qualified lawyer who is trained to specialise as an expert in one particular area of law.
• What are the most common areas of specialism for legal executives?

  Conveyancing

  company and business law

  family

  probate

  personal injury

  crime
• Who are legal executives mostly employed by?


  private law firms but some will work "in-house" for organisations or businesses.
• Do legal executives have the rights of audience?


  they have some rights to audience.
• What are the 4 types of judges?


  1. Justices of the Supreme Court
  2. Lord/Lady Justices of Appeal
  3. High Court Judges
  4. Circuit Judges
  5. District Judges
• What's the main role of judges?

  to make decisions and apply the law and legal rules in a fair, unbiased way
• What is the ranking of justices of supreme court?

  They hold the highest judicial office
• What cases do the justices of supreme court hear?

  appeals on points of law of the greatest public and constitutional importance in civil and criminal cases
• How many of them on a panel are there?

  a panel of 5 or more
• Where do the justices of appeal sit?


  sit in the Court of Appeal hearing appeals in civil and criinal cases
• How many justices of appeal are on a panel?

  3
• Where are High Court Judges usually found?

  in one of three divisions of the High Court
• What are the High Court Judges' tasks?


  deal with the more complex civil cases and appeals from county court. But also hear very serious criminal cases in the Crown court and appeals from Magistrates' Court
• Circuit Judges deal with criminal cases in the Crown Court and civil cases in the County Court.
• What are recorders?


  part time judges appointed for a period of 5 years
• District judges hear small claims cases in the country court and may try criminal cases in the Magistrates' court in big cities