What is a lawyer?
Solicitors, barristers and legal executives are all lawyers. The work they do is based on the same law but their day-to-day jobs can be very different. Below is an outline of their roles. You will find some real life examples in the section entitled ‘A Day in the Life of…’
Solicitors
Solicitors offer skilled day-to-day advice to clients on a comprehensive range of legal matters from defending criminal charges to buying or selling property and from taking over a company to making employees redundant and much more.
Once qualified, solicitors can select to work in a law firm but there are also opportunities to work in the legal sector of local government, in law centres, as an ‘in-house’ lawyer within industry or in the civil service (including work for the Crown Prosecution Service).
Most solicitors in law firms specialise in one particular area of law, for example: conveyancing, family law, civil litigation, company law, criminal law or wills and probate to give just a few examples. The type of work will depend on the type of legal firm. Many firms are relatively small (less than 50 employees) and look after all kinds of problems which the general public face such as moving house, making a will, problems with their employment, divorce, suing traders for poor work or damaged or broken goods.
Larger law firms tend to deal with company clients and look after mergers of companies, complex tax issues, buying and selling large properties such as shopping centres, retail or industrial sites. They often act for clients who are household names. Such firms can employ in excess of 250 people.
Some solicitors can also represent clients in certain Courts and in the Employment Tribunals. They prepare and manage cases for their clients, and negotiate settlements, but may decide to instruct a barrister to appear in Court or Tribunal on their behalf.
Solicitors build up strong relationships with their clients, sometimes over months or years. Client care and service is a fundamental part of being a solicitor.
For further information:
» The Law Society
» Key Differences - Solicitors, Barristers or Legal Executives
Barristers
Barristers specialise in advocacy and therefore spend most of their time appearing before judges (in courts) or Chairmen (in Employment Tribunals) to represent one of the parties in the proceedings. Barristers must be instructed to act by a solicitor (not the client directly). A Barrister advocates the case on the basis of the instructions and papers which have been prepared for them by the instructing solicitor.
Barristers are sometimes asked by a solicitor to give a legal opinion in the lead-up to a case (for example, on whether or not the case is likely to be successful). Barristers may occasionally help to negotiate at the Court or Tribunal if settlement can be achieved just before a case is heard by the Judge or Chairman.
Once qualified, barristers become ‘tenants’ of a particular Barrister’s Chambers. Chambers are a collection of rooms or offices where barristers practise as part of a group. Barristers specialise in a particular area, or areas, of law slightly later on in their career than solicitors. Barristers are generally self-employed and obtain work on the basis of their reputation and experience.
However some barristers can be employed by other organisations, for example: local government, the Crown Prosecution Service or in industry/commerce.
For further information:
» The Bar Council
» Key Differences - Solicitors, Barristers or Legal Executives
Legal Executives
Legal executives are qualified lawyers specialising in a particular area of law. They will have passed the Institute of Legal Executives (“ILEX”) Professional Qualification in Law.
Their day-to-day work is similar to that of a solicitor; handling various legal aspects of a property transfer, assisting in the formation of a company, involvement in actions in the High Court or County Courts, drafting wills, advising clients accused of serious or petty crime, or families with matrimonial problems - and many other matters that affect us in our domestic and business affairs.
Trainee Legal Executives tend to combine practical experience of legal work with ILEX academic training from day one, which enables them to 'earn while they learn' and helps to minimise student debts.
Students will usually attend their local college on day release or for one or two evenings a week, or study the ILEX qualification by distance learning with ILEX Tutorial College.
Legal Executives may, with further study, qualify as solicitors. A Fellow (fully qualified Legal Executive with at least 5 years practical experience under the supervision of a solicitor, 2 of which must have been gained after qualification) may be given exemption from completing a full training contract.
For further information:
» The Institute of Legal Executives
» Key Differences - Solicitors, Barristers or Legal Executives
