Barristers vs Solicitors Who Should I Choose?
Legal procedures aren’t the simplest procedures to endure and can often be confusing due to the amount rules and regulations that are included within the process; this is one of the reasons as to why making the correct choice between a barrister and a solicitor is essential. However, before you can choose between a barrister and a solicitor you must first understand the main differences between these two professions.
What is a Barrister?
A barrister, also known as a Bar-at-Law, is a type of lawyer that specialises in giving expert, specialist advice and advocacy services. This means that the majority of barristers are able to stand in your place at legal hearings but cannot sign documents or contracts on your behalf, neither can they write to the opponent; but they can advise you throughout the process and will support you through drafting legal pleadings and other documents.
How is a Barrister Different to a Solicitor?
Barristers are often self-employed and do not work at a fixed rate as they work directly with the client and will adjust their services based on the needs of the client. The work of a solicitor depends greatly on the size of the company that they are employed by and will usually charge fixed rates.
It’s unusual for a solicitor to work alone, as they also employ barristers to draft Merits; this also increases the average price that they charge. Although a solicitor can sign documents on behalf of the client – but it’s not often that the solicitor will deal with the client directly.
Which is Right for Me?
If you’re looking solely for expert legal advice and someone that can aid you with legal documents, arranging the Merits of your claim or represent you in court it’s suggested that you get in touch with a barrister.
The benefit of a solicitor is that they can sign for documents and approach the court on your behalf; however for the rest of their services they will arrange for a barrister to aid them with their work. This means that you are often paying fees for a solicitor and a barrister when you could instead contact a barrister directly without having to deal with and pay the middle man; the solicitor.
Dealing with a barrister can also reduce the amount of stress that you are under when compared to dealing with a solicitor as there is a larger amount of direct contact – this means that you can share any concerns that you may have with the barrister and settle issues quickly. This is different to dealing with a solicitor as the contact with a solicitor is limited and is often in the form of phone calls, emails or letters.
There are many other reasons as to why you should make the decision to hire either a barrister or a solicitor – but the choice cannot be made for you and often depends upon the situation that you are in. For more information on legal services and expert advice you can get in touch with us here at Access2Barristers Direct.