How to choose the right direct access barrister

Are you considering choosing to brief a public access barrister direct to represent you, and provide you with high-calibre legal advice and expert advocacy?

One of the things that could be causing you to hesitate is that it can seem a daunting prospect to select from direct access barristers in your area.

You may need some help in deciding which one to choose. After all, they have all studied hard to reach this level of professionalism and can appear to offer similar services.

Particularly if you are working within a tight timescale, you may not want to waste a lot of time “shopping around”, with such a diverse range of individuals and companies to sift through.

What to look for in direct access barristers

The fees charged may be highly significant to you if your legal proceedings involve a tight budget or little or no financial compensation.

Most public access barristers are not tied by prescribed fee structures which means you can negotiate with them on an individual basis.

However, it is highly recommended that the decision is based not just on cost. This is likely to be a crucial or sensitive legal need they must meet, so the cheapest may not be the right one for you.

You need to study the barrister’s expertise to ensure that their particular experience and skills match your specific legal needs well.

Also, check their availability as early in the process as possible. Choosing a great match and then finding your barrister can’t meet any legal deadlines you face can be frustrating.

Asking for CVs is commonplace, as this will give you a broader overview of the individual barrister rather than relying on a marketing profile.

Establishing trust and communication

The chances are your relationship with your barrister will be quite an “intimate” one, even if this is a commercial case. You need to establish strong trust and communication to work together effectively, so you need to find a barrister that you feel comfortable with as well as one with the right level of competence.

Clearly then, it comes down to personal choice when choosing a relevant direct access barrister.

However, to save time – and money – use our website to find a direct access barrister ready and able to support you every step of the way. Not least as within minutes you can compare areas of expertise and costs.

This can be the perfect starting point for finding the right barrister to secure the result you need.