How can a barrister act for a person when they know they are guilty of a criminal offence(s)?
The Bar’s rules of conduct require that a barrister must accept a brief from a solicitor to appear before a court in a field in which the barrister practises or professes to practice if the brief is within the barrister’s capacity, skill and experience, they are available and the fee is acceptable. See rules 92-107 of The Rules of Conduct. The role of the barrister is not to judge the client but to serve as an advocate in the client’s interests. The barrister must advise the client of the strengths and weaknesses of the case and in the appropriate case, advise the client that it may be in the client’s interests to reach a compromise. If the client does not accept that advice and wants to proceed, the barrister must fight the case to the best of the barrister’s ability and in accordance with his or her paramount duty to the Court. Once the hearing is underway and the client wishes to proceed, the barrister has the running of the case, not the client. If the client has in conference with
