What is the difference between a solicitor and barrister?
A BARRISTER (also known as Counsel) spends most of their working hours in court conducting trials and other hearings. Barristers also provide specialist advice to solicitors and their clients over the likely outcome if a particular case ended up being fought out in court. A barrister has the right to appear in all courts, both higher and lower. Clients can only approach a barrister through a solicitor. A SOLICITOR spends most of their working hours in an office. They usually instruct a barrister to represent their clients in court. Solicitors only have the right to appear in the lower courts (magistrates courts, Family Proceedings Courts and county courts) not the higher courts (Crown Court, High Court, Court of Appeal and House of Lords). A SOLICITOR ADVOCATE is a solicitor who has been granted permission to appear in the higher courts.
