Life at the Bar

The Bar is a diverse profession and as such barristers' lifestyles differ enormously. If you become a practising barrister, your lifestyle will depend on your practice area(s), your specialisations, whether you practise as a self-employed or employed barrister (or both), the chambers you join, the work that you undertake and many other factors. As a self-employed barrister in a predominantly criminal and family set, you could be on your feet every day in court, dealing directly with your lay clients, working with solicitors, social workers, family liaison officers, translators and litigation friends. Or you could be at the employed Bar, supplying legal services to your employer only, with an entirely paper based practice. Most barristers agree that no two days are the same.

In order to see what life at the Bar is like, you need to undertake mini-pupillages, court visits and as much other legal experience (including working in a solicitors' firm or Citizens Advice Bureau etc) as you can.