More than half of our members are qualified under the Bar Standards Board’s Public Access rules to accept instructions direct from clients-whether individuals or representatives of companies and public bodies-across all our areas of practice.
They are able to provide advice and representation as well as drafting and sending documents. There may still be some cases and situations where it will be necessary to instruct a solicitor or another intermediary, but we are nevertheless able to advise clients on how to undertake all these steps.
If you wish to enquire about instructing us direct, please speak in the first instance to our Senior Clerk. He may request you to complete the enquiry form in order that he may best assess the nature of the case and determine the most appropriate choice of barrister. If we ascertain that it would be in the your best interests to instruct a solicitor or other professional client, we will do our best to redirect you where we can.
The information provided may be sufficient for a barrister to agree to take on your case and for an initial estimate of the fees likely to be incurred. A client care letter will then be issued, setting out the scope of work, the fees payable, terms and conditions, the complaints process, and any other conditions subject to which the work will be carried out.
In some cases, it may be necessary for the barrister to hold a preliminary meeting with you before accepting the work and before a client care letter can be prepared.
Further information can be found in the BSB Guidance for Lay Clients.
The detailed rules governing the work a barrister may do under the Public Access scheme may be found by using the search facility on the Bar Standards Board website.
Our clerks will be pleased to assist with any enquiries.
