#Exam 1- Barristers, Solicitors, Legal Execs/services

Question 1

What are the two types of lawyers in England and Wales

Answer 1

Barristers and solicitors

Question 2

How many barristers are self employed

Answer 2

12,700

Question 3

How many barristers work in the CPS, independent business and local government

Answer 3

Roughly 3,000

Question 4

What are the four inns of court

Answer 4

Lincoln’s inn
Inner temple
Middle temple
Grays inn

Question 5

What are barristers collectively called

Answer 5

The bar

Question 6

Who regulates barristers

Answer 6

The general council of the bar

Question 7

What is the first step to becoming a barrister

Answer 7

Degree in law

If it isn’t an law degree then they must take a GDL ( graduate diploma in law )

Question 8

What is the second step of training for barristers

Answer 8

Complete the Bar professional training course

Question 9

What activities are done in the bar training course

Answer 9

Case prep 
Opinion writing 
Drafting documents 
Interviewing clients 
Advocacy 
Negotiation

Question 10

Once completing the bar training course barristers are called to …

Answer 10

The bar- which means they are a qualified barrister

Question 11

What is the practical stage of training which occurs after being recognised as being a barrister

Answer 11

A pupillage

Question 12

What is involved in a pupillage

Answer 12

Shadowing one barrister for 12 months or two for 6 months

Question 13

What is the pupillage gateway

Answer 13

All pupillage vacancies are notified and put on the site, the application will typically be 18 months prior

Question 14

What is the main issue with training of barristers

Answer 14

The financial strain, students must cover fees for their degree (£9,000 a year) as well as the cost of the BPTC which is £15,000, GDL May also have to be paid for

Question 15

How is the GDL seen as unfair

Answer 15

Not all barristers take a paw degree

Would you be satisfied with a doctor who only studied medicine for a year

Question 16

What does the problem of oversupply mean

Answer 16

There are too many completing the BPTC but not enough pupillage’s

Question 17

How many passed the BPTC and how many pupillage’s were available In 2014-15

Answer 17

1,500 took BPTC

422 pupillage’s available

Question 18

How many barristers does one set of chambers usually have

Answer 18

15-20

Question 19

What happens after a barrister has been working for ten years

Answer 19

They can apply to be in the Queens council, this means they can take on more complex cases

Question 20

What is advocacy

Answer 20

Presenting cases in court

Question 21

What is rights of audience

Answer 21

The right to present a case in court on behalf of another person

Question 22

What can a barrister specialise in

Answer 22

Tax and company law- this will mean they will barely appear in court

Question 23

What smaller roles does a barrister do

Answer 23

Paperwork, writing opinions on a case, giving advice and drafting documents for use in court

Question 24

What is direct access

Answer 24

Clients are able to see a barrister without a seeing a solicitor first

Question 25

What cases is direct access not allowed for

Answer 25

Criminal and family cases

Question 26

What was proposed in 2015 for barristers

Answer 26

It was suggested lawyers should do a QASA ( quality assurance scheme for advocates) to only let lawyers deal with smaller cases until gaining experience

Question 27

How are barristers and solicitors training similar

Answer 27

Both have to do a law degree or pass a GDL

Question 28

What is the second part of the process to becoming a solicitor

Answer 28

Legal practice course

Question 29

What is the training contract for solicitors

Answer 29

Supervised training for two years in a solicitors firm or with CPS

Question 30

How much does the LPC cost

Answer 30

£14000

Question 31

How many solicitors are employed in England and Wales

Answer 31

40,000

Question 32

Where will a solicitor usually be employed

Answer 32

In a private practice of in a solicitors firm

Question 33

What does the solicitors job role mainly include

Answer 33

Mostly office bases work such as looking at contracts and drafting them, drafting wills, leases and conveyancing

Question 34

Who can solicitors typically brief before court

Answer 34

A barrister

Question 35

Where can solicitors represent people in court

Answer 35

Magistrates and county court

Question 36

What is the qualification which allows solicitors to do cases in higher courts

Answer 36

Advocacy qualification

Question 37

How are barristers and solicitors work now similar

Answer 37

Both can represent in court Barristers can be seen directly in civil cases Both do preparatory work in civil cases

Question 38

How many solicitors have higher rights

Answer 38

6,500

Question 39

Who used to select members to be Queens council

Answer 39

Lord chancellor

Question 40

When was the LC stopped from selecting members to be QC

Answer 40

2004

Question 41

Why was the LC stopped from selecting members to be QC

Answer 41

Too secretive and wasn’t representative-only 10% were women

Question 42

Who now selects members to be on the queen’s counsel

Answer 42

Independent selection panel

Question 43

What is the process of becoming a QC

Answer 43

Lawyers apply. Application of £2160 Appointment of £3,600 Independent selection panel recommends them to LC

Question 44

How did the new election improve the queen’s counsel

Answer 44

15% of members are now women and 6.5% are now from an ethnic minority

Question 45

What must a solicitor have to become a member of the QC

Answer 45

An advocacy qualification and ten years of practice

Question 46

Where do legal executives work

Answer 46

Solicitors law firm

Question 47

What qualifications does a legal executive need

Answer 47

Have to pass a professional higher diploma in law and work for at least 5 years

Question 48

What is the role of a legal executive

Answer 48

Have limited rights of audience but are similar to solicitors

Question 49

Who is the regulatory body of legal executives

Answer 49

CILEx

Question 50

Who is the representatives of barristers

Answer 50

Bar council

Question 51

Who regulates barristers

Answer 51

bar standards board

Question 52

Who is the representative body of solicitors

Answer 52

Law society

Question 53

Who is the regularly body for solicitors

Answer 53

Solicitors regulatory authority

Question 54

Where do complaints for legal execs, barristers and solicitors go to

Answer 54

Legal ombudsman

Question 55

What can the legal ombudsman do

Answer 55

``` Apologise to client Give back any documents Put things right Reduce legal fees Pay compensation up to £30,000 ```

Question 56

What are the issues facing ethnic minorities in the legal profession

Answer 56

Well represented in lower levels but not so well represented in higher levels

Question 57

What are the issues facing women in the legal profession

Answer 57

Women are not as well represented in higher levels of the profession

Question 58

How many solicitors are women

Answer 58

Over half

Question 59

How many barristers are women

Answer 59

1/3

Question 60

What percentage of barristers are ethnic minority

Answer 60

13%

Question 61

What are the issues with women and ethnic minorities

Answer 61

they are under-represented in higher areas such as the QC where only 6.5% are from ethinic minorities

Question 62

what part of the legal profession is good with its representation of women and ethnic minorities

Answer 62

solicitors

Question 63

what are the challenges and trends in the legal services

Answer 63

alternative business structures pose a challenge to traditional legal firms working practices have to lead to change with the increasing use of information technology globalisation has led to firms becoming international