Role and Work

Solicitors are usually the first point of contact for clients. They give legal advice, prepare documents, and may represent clients in lower courts. Their work includes:

• Drafting contracts, wills, and conveyancing documents.

• Advising clients on legal rights and options.

• Negotiating settlements.

• Representing clients in the Magistrates’ Court or County Court.

• Instructing barristers for higher court advocacy.

Training

To qualify, a person must:

1. Complete a law degree or conversion course.

2. Pass the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE).

3. Complete two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).

Solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and represented by the Law Society.

Role and Work

Barristers are specialist advocates who represent clients in higher courts and provide expert legal opinions. Their work involves:

• Advocacy in the Crown Court, High Court, Court of Appeal, and Supreme Court.

• Giving written and oral legal advice.

• Drafting pleadings and other court documents.

• Acting as specialists in complex areas of law.

Most barristers are self-employed and work from chambers, sharing administrative staff and clerks. They are usually instructed by solicitors, although qualified clients can sometimes approach them directly under the Public Access Scheme.

Training

To qualify, a person must:

1. Complete a law degree or conversion course.

2. Pass the Bar Course (previously the BPTC).

3. Undertake pupillage (one year of supervised training).

Barristers are regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB) and represented by the Bar Council.

Role and Work

Legal executives are qualified lawyers who specialise in particular areas, such as conveyancing, probate, or personal injury. Their work often mirrors that of solicitors, though typically in narrower fields. Many legal executives progress into management or partnership roles within firms.

Training

They qualify through the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) route, combining academic study with practical experience.

They are regulated by CILEx Regulation.

Judges interpret and apply the law, ensure fair hearings, and deliver reasoned judgments. They are independent from government and must act without bias.

There are several levels:

• District Judges – hear civil and family cases in County and Magistrates’ Courts.

• Circuit Judges – sit in the Crown and County Courts.

• High Court Judges – hear complex civil cases and serious criminal trials in the Crown Court.

• Lord Justices of Appeal – sit in the Court of Appeal.

• Justices of the Supreme Court – the final court of appeal on points of law of general importance.

Judges are appointed through the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC) and are protected by security of tenure to preserve judicial independence.

• Paralegals: Assist solicitors and barristers with research, drafting, and case preparation but are not fully qualified lawyers.

• Clerks: Manage the administration of court proceedings or chambers.

• Magistrates (Lay Justices): Volunteers who sit in the Magistrates’ Court to decide minor criminal cases.

• Court Staff: Support the smooth running of court hearings and administration.