FAQs
Below you will find answers to many of the common questions our clients have when looking to instruct counsel. If you have any additional questions don’t hesitate to contact us on 08450 175 185 and our clerks will be happy to help.
Questions
- What does a solicitor do?
- What does a barrister do?
- How quickly can I get an opinion?
- I am very busy, can I have a conference with a barrister on the phone?
- I require a written opinion, how quickly can I get one?
- I am not familiar with communicating with a barrister, do you provide help?
- My situation is quite complex, can I have a face to face conference?
- I have a meeting at which I would like to have a barrister present, is that possible?
- I am not in a rush for an opinion, is it still cheaper to use yourbarrister instead of my solicitor?
- How do I know how much it will cost?
- Why a barrister's opinion instead of a solicitor's?
- How long does it usually take to obtain an opinion?
- Will I still be able to instruct a barrister if my case goes to court or arbitration?
- Can a barrister draft documents for me?
Answers
- What does a solicitor do?
- Solicitors traditionally have been the first point of contact for anyone who needs legal services whether buying a house, making a will, getting divorced, considering suing someone or being prosecuted. Many solicitors will be able to provide competent assistance in respect of all of these but may not specialize in a particular area of law in the way a barrister might.
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- What does a barrister do?
- Barristers, until recently, have only acted on referrals or 'instructions' from solicitors. They provide specialist opinions on difficult legal problems, draft the more complex documents for use in court and act as advocates in court. Barristers are also relied upon to give definitive legal advice where a solicitor may not be able to.
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- How quickly can I get an opinion?
- We can usually arrange a telephone conference within a few hours of you contacting us, a conference in counsel’s chambers the next working day and written advice within a couple of days. We and the barristers we instruct aim to be flexible and if there was a compelling reason would aim to provide the opinion even quicker than this.
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- I am very busy, can I have a conference with a barrister on the phone?
- Yes, this can be arranged within a matter of hours. If necessary, the barrister will also provide a written summary of what was discussed.
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- I require a written opinion, how quickly can I get one?
- We can usually arrange written advice within 36 hours. We and the barristers we instruct aim to be flexible and if there was a compelling reason would endeavour to provide the opinion even quicker than this.
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- I am not familiar with communicating with a barrister, do you provide help?
- Our comprehensive service includes the assimilation of all relevant documentation and the correct presentation to counsel with a dedicated proffesional attending to your matter at all times.
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- My situation is quite complex, can I have a face to face conference?
- Yes, usually this will be at the barrister’s chambers, though it is possible to arrange it at your chosen location. This may be appropriate where the barrister needs to see a site before expressing an opinion.
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- I have a meeting at which I would like to have a barrister present, is that possible?
- This is possible particularly if the meeting is with a view to resolving a dispute.
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- I am not in a rush for an opinion, is it still cheaper to use yourbarrister instead of my solicitor?
- yourbarrister, unlike a solicitor, is solely dedicated to instucting counsel.If ultimately you require the services of a barrister it is unnecessary to go to the time and expense of addtionally employing a solicitor .When both solicitor and counsel are instructed, the solicitor’s fees are usually more than the barrister’s. Solicitors tend to have higher overheads than barristers and this is reflected by them generally charging higher rates.
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- How do I know how much it will cost?
- Only when you have provided the papers to a yourbarrister clerk and the barrister has seen them will he or she be able to say how much work is involved. Then you will be given a fixed quotation which will not change unless you request further work.
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- Why a barrister's opinion instead of a solicitor's?
- Generally, barristers have a more in-depth knowledge of one area of law, while solicitors, particularly in smaller firms, are all-rounders, doing conveyencing and drafting wills as well as advising. In dealing with difficult cases, solicitors themselves often choose to obtain counsel's opinion rather than giving primary advice themselves.
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- How long does it usually take to obtain an opinion?
- yourbarrister specializes in providing you, the client, with your opinion as soon as possible. You let yourbarrister know your time frame and we will find a barrister who can complete the work within it.
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- Will I still be able to instruct a barrister if my case goes to court or arbitration?
- yourbarrister can instuct counsel without a solicitor in almost all civil (ie non-criminal) matters. A barrister would act in court proceedings and represent you at hearings without a solicitor. If you are considering instructing a barrister in this way, we would normally advise that you first have a face-to-face conference.
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- Can a barrister draft documents for me?
- Yes, there are a large variety of documents which we ask barristers to draft. As well as formal particulars of claim, defenses and counterclaims for use in court, a barrister can, for instance, draft standard contractual terms and conditions, submissions to planning authorities and special contractual conditions in sales of land. He can also draft formal letters for you to send to other people such as one threatening legal action.
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