Week 4 - Personnel of the courts Unit 3 – Law for Business Week 4 - Personnel of the courts Fda Business Victoria Grace

Objectives of session Re-cap from previous week Start to examine the role, work and training of a variety of personnel involved in the legal system Fda Business Victoria Grace

Solicitor Description Training Work alone or in partnership Deal directly with the public Approx. 80,000 solicitors in England and Wales Accountable to the Law Society Training Law degree Legal practice course (1yr) Training contract (2yr) Fda Business Victoria Grace

Barrister Description Training Work alone Offices called ‘chambers’ Represent people in court mainly Must take instruction from a solicitor not directly from public Approx. 9,500 barristers in England and Wales Governed by the General Council of the Bar Training Law degree Bar vocational course (2yr) Join one of the ‘inns’ and complete 12 qualifying sessions Middle temple Gray’s inn Inner temple Lincolns inn Complete a pupillage (1yr) Fda Business Victoria Grace

Barrister cont’d….. Queens Council Juniors More senior and experienced Take more complicated cases Must have minimum 10yrs experience Majority of Judiciary taken from QC Juniors Less experienced Juniors can help QC’s deal with cases in court Fda Business Victoria Grace

Legal executive Similar to solicitors Specialise in a particular area of law 5 yrs of experience working under a solicitor Includes property, contract and family mainly Complete an ILEX qual in law Fda Business Victoria Grace

Paralegal Not qualified solicitors or barristers Carry out duties such as; Legal research Interviewing witnesses Attending court Clerical tasks Providing legal info. Drafting legal documents Need a good standard of education Good understanding of the legal system Usually have a law degree Fda Business Victoria Grace

Legal services ombudsman Current is Zahida Manzoor (CBE) Role is to ensure complaints raised by public are dealt with in a fair and impartial manner Fda Business Victoria Grace

ACTIVITY 1 In pairs list the top 6 skills you feel are important for someone wanting to become a barrister – record your answers on flip chart paper and present to the rest of the group Fda Business Victoria Grace