Barrister

Type of lawyer BarristerIllustration of an English barristerOccupationOccupation typeProfessionActivity sectorsLawJurisprudenceJusticePoliticsLegal historyHuman rightsIntellectual propertyDescriptionEducation requiredEngland and Wales:Bar Course with pupillageIreland: Barrister-at-Law degree with pupillageHong Kong: Postgraduate Certificate in Laws with pupillageFields ofemploymentBarristers' chambers, government, sole trader, companies, law firmRelated jobsPupil barrister, advocate, judge, general counsel, in-house counsel, magistrate, attorney, solicitor A barrister is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions that originated from the Inns of Court in the medieval English legal system. Barristers mostly specialise in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include arguing cases in courts and tribunals, drafting legal pleadings, researching the law and giving legal opinions. Barristers are distinguished from solicitors and other types of lawyers (e.g. chartered legal executives) who have more direct access to clients, and may do transactional legal work. In some legal systems, including those of South Africa, Scandinavia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, and the Isle of Man,