We've put together a quick guide to help you navigate your first few years of practice. Below are 5 key areas of support to explore when you’re first starting out, whatever your area of practice. 

Your first 7 years at the Bar are crucial to building a thriving practice. We’re here to support you and provide guidance for navigating your career as a barrister. 

Around 80% of barristers in England and Wales are self-employed and practise from a set of chambers. Being self-employed has many benefits but it also means you’re responsible for your own practice management, including managing your taxes, setting up a pension and paying members’ rent or contributions to your chambers.    

1. Building rapport and working with colleagues 

As a young barrister, it's important to build good working relationships with members of your chambers. Your pupil supervisor will be one of your primary contacts throughout your pupillage and will offer guidance and assistance during your pupillage.   

Clerks and practice managers are also a vital part of the chambers system. They’ll manage the work coming into your chambers, allocate that work to you and your colleagues and assist you with diary management. It’s therefore important to build a good rapport with your clerking team.  

As soon as you start your pupillage, find out who's responsible for clerking your work. The more your clerks know, the better they can manage your workload. Your clerks will also bill your work for you which is dependent on you reporting your hours to them. Keep them up to date with your availability and inform them about the progress of your cases to ensure accurate diary and billing management.  

2. Building your practice  

The self-employed Bar is a referral profession which relies on receiving instructions from professional clients.  

Building a strong relationship with solicitors is key to ensuring a robust and sustainable practice. To build a good rapport and working relationship with professional clients, ensure you establish good channels of communication early on: 

  • Acknowledge a piece of work as soon as you receive it

  • Check instructions and ask for further information if needed

  • Give your opinion if you’re asked

  • Be realistic about timeframes to deliver pieces of work

Solicitors and clients often know who they want to use, so work coming into chambers may already be allocated. This is why getting to known solicitors well is so important. There are, however, rules governing how work is allocated within chambers. Rule rC110 of the BSB Handbook on ‘ ’allocation of unassigned work’ means if unallocated briefs come into chambers, they should be allocated in a way which is fair to barristers who are qualified and available to do the work.  

3. Finance and administration  

As a self-employed barrister, you should give some thought to the additional administrative duties of self-employment. The are practical costs to consider, such as chambers’ fees,; insurance,; practicsing certificate fees; and income tax and national insurance.  

First and foremost, you should sSeek advice from professionals who can help you manage the costs associated with self-employment (tax advisors and accountants). Ensure you keep accurate records of fees owed to you, when this money will be paid and what costs you might owe.  

It's always important to ask for help. If you have a problem with cashflow and aged debt, your fees clerk will be the best person to speak to. We also have resources available about outstanding fees on our eEthics and practice hub. Additionally, an interest-free bridging loan may be available to you through your Inn, or a grant maybe available from a benevolent association like the Barristers Benevolent Association (BBA). 

4. Wellbeing at the Bar 

For many, becoming a barrister is not only the culmination of everything you’ve worked towards, but it’s a unique learning opportunity and chance to finally start practising in your chosen area. Your wellbeing, however, is paramount. 

If you ever find yourself struggling, you should raise concerns with your chambers. Making someone aware is the first step to addressing the underlying problems that are affecting your wellbeing. If you’re experience any difficulties you feel can’t be resolved with the assistance of your pupil supervisor, please refer to our Wellbeing at the Bar website which has further resources and information on a 24/7 helpline. 

5. Training and professional development 

As a barrister, you’re never a finished product. There’s always something new to learn, new case-law to understand, new and emerging issues to grapple with and skills to hone.  

As a junior barrister, you will undertake the New Practitioner Programme (NPP). This requires barristers under three years practice to complete 45 hours of continuous professional development (CPD) in their first three calendar years.  

At the Bar Council we offer a range of conferences, seminars, workshops and training courses to help you fulfil your CPD requirements and build your practice. Your chambers, Inn of Court or Circuit may also offer additional programmes for new practitioners that focus on different aspects of your role as a barrister.  

More information can be found in our CPD - Continuing Professional Development Guidance. 

Key resources and helplines

Thriving in your first years of practice – watch the videos of our event series exploring key aspects of life as a pupil and young barrister. 

Talk to Spot – a secure online tool to support anyone working at and around the Bar to confidentially raise concerns about inappropriate behaviour.  

Confidential equality and diversity helpline – a member of our Equality and Diversity team will be able to provide advice and support, or can discuss your options (email: [email protected] or call: 0207 611 1426) 

Ethics hub and ethics enquiry service – resources to help you find answers to your professional ethics questions (email: [email protected] or call: 020 7611 1307) 

Pupils' helpline – gives confidential advice and support to pupils. We’ll put you in touch with an experienced and independent barrister who can help with problems encountered during pupillage (email: [email protected] or call: 020 7611 1415) 

Reasonable adjustment guide – gives more information on reasonable adjustments in the workplace. 

Young Barristers’ Committee (YBC) – The voice of and representative committee for all barristers under 7 years practice. You can contact them via email for support on just about anything: [email protected]