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Instructing a barrister

There are three main routes of access to a barrister.

(1) Professional Client Access

The following people may instruct barristers either on behalf of clients or on their own account:

In any matter for all types of work:

• Solicitors
• Other authorised litigators
• Parliamentary agents, patent agents, trademark agents and Notaries
• European lawyers registered with the Law Society
• Employed barristers and/or European lawyers registered with the Bar Council
• Legal Advice Centres designated by the Bar Council

In limited areas of work:

• Licensed conveyancers in matters in which they are providing conveyancing services
• Foreign lawyers for advice only

(2) Public Access

Members of the public, and commercial and non-commercial organisations, are now able to instruct barristers directly on most civil matters if they accept public access work.  To see which barristers at Devereux Chambers accept public access work, please refer to the individual barrister profiles, or contact the clerks.

(3) Licensed Access

Licensed access is a licensing system whereby organisations or individuals who are suitable to instruct barristers because they have expertise in particular areas of the law can apply to the Bar Council to be licensed to instruct barristers directly in those areas.  The licence can cover advice or representation or both and permit licensees to instruct barristers either on their own affairs or on behalf of their clients.

For further information about instructing a barrister, see the Bar Council website, from which the information on this page is taken.