Employed Practice
Around 20 per cent of barristers are employed barristers in the public sector or private sector, working within a variety of fields including finance, commerce, regulation, and both central and local government. This section describes some of the more popular choices for those wishing to take up employed practice.
Government Legal Service (GLS)
The GLS employs around 1,900 lawyers and is the umbrella title for the legal teams of the central governmental departments, agencies and public bodies. Working at the GLS, you will be involved in the enormous level of legal work generated by the government across several areas of law. GLS lawyers undertake drafting, advisory and litigious work and are given the opportunity to gain experience in a wide range of work. The GLS employs both barristers and solicitors and runs a training scheme for trainee solicitors and pupils.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS)
The CPS is a government department that employs around 3,000 staff throughout the country and is responsible for the majority of prosecutions in criminal cases. The work is carried out by barristers and solicitors known as Crown Prosecutors who will review the evidence collected by the police to ascertain whether there is sufficient evidence and whether it is in the public interest to proceed). Once you have completed the BVC, you can apply for a one-year pupillage at the CPS and qualify as a barrister. This is an ideal alternative to private practice for anyone interested in working in the Criminal Justice System.
Barristers employed by solicitors firms
There are a growing number of these, especially since barristers are now able to be dual qualified (qualified as a barrister and solicitor, but not practising as both at the same time). Barristers can also act in a dual capacity (self employed and employed) and can compete for partnership. Many are employed as court advocates, often after a spell in chambers; but others carry out purely commercial and advisory work or join as paralegals whilst waiting for a chance to do pupillage. As more solicitors firms become pupillage training organisations, we are likely to see more barristers being trained in solicitors firms.
Barristers employed in Commerce, Finance and Industry (CFI)
Many company legal departments also employ barristers who work alongside solicitors. Although CFI barristers and solicitors tend to do the same type of work, barristers bring different skills (particularly analytical and presentational abilities) and many General Counsel like to have a mix of barristers and solicitors because of this. CFI barristers in smaller firms may work as sole lawyer and Company Secretary; but the very large legal departments in multinational and financial institutions employ hundreds of lawyers and operate like a law firm. There is more movement now between chambers and the private sector and vice-versa than in the past, as work in industry provides valuable opportunities for specialisation.
Barristers employed in local government, Regulators and Charities and others
Most local councils employ barristers and the major councils are large employers of lawyers, both barristers and solicitors. The larger councils do most of their own advocacy in the lower courts. Most regulators, such as the OFT and the FSA, employ barristers and there are several other organisations, charities, and NGOs who may employ barristers, often on short term contracts. A growing number of young barristers work abroad in international justice and human rights organisations, or in the EU.
