I am a Barristers' Clerk, ask me anything!

Dear All,

This may or may not be of help to people. I will not take questions about money or disclose any personal details about myself or the set.

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Reply 1

arbaaz

what does your day to day routine consist of?

Reply 2

wadafawk

Original post by arbaaz

what does your day to day routine consist of?

In the morning there is the sorting of updating papers and incoming briefs to chambers.
From then on, throughout the day, I am managing Counsels' diaries; negotiating their fees & allocating briefs as well as liaising with the court with regards to future dates & upcoming hearings.

Reply 3

arbaaz

Original post by wadafawk

is your job stressful? what do you wish you had known before taking the job? e.g. advice for others who may be thinking to do what your doing?

thank you.

Reply 4

wadafawk

Original post by arbaaz

is your job stressful? what do you wish you had known before taking the job? e.g. advice for others who may be thinking to do what your doing?

thank you.

Yes, it is stressful, it is more important that anything to keep a level head and be diplomatic. You can not make enemies.

There is nothing to be known before the job. You learn everything there and there's very little that can be done in preparation. If there's one piece of advice I would give: take note of the areas of law in which the Chambers you are Clerking practice as they change the dynamic of the job.

Reply 5

arbaaz

Original post by wadafawk

ok, thank you! :smile:

Reply 6

User570431

Are you dealing with the stress well?
Are you physically fit from all the stress? If not go out and run! Health is better than no health.

Do you get board of court cases?

Reply 7

wadafawk

Original post by TitanicTeutonicPhil

Do you actually think your job is anything special and desirable? (I see no other explanation for this stupid thread)

No.

I thought people may have questions about the pupils that we see in Chambers, their qualifications and experiences. What it is like to undertake pupilage. The kind of work that one does. etc.

I quite clearly stated in my first post that I was not sure if this would be helpful, in your opinion it quite clearly isn't. Though I'm sure you took enjoyment in posting in this thread and your attempts to ridicule me, I'm not sure that it was necessary.

Reply 8

wadafawk

Original post by blueray

Are you dealing with the stress well?
Are you physically fit from all the stress? If not go out and run! Health is better than no health.

Do you get board of court cases?

Yes, I hope i do deal with the stress well, I certainly enjoy it.
My physical state is not a result of stress, as far as I can tell.
Health is indeed important! A truly brilliant statement - one to live by.

I actually have very limited knowledge of court cases and as such do not get bored with them.

Reply 9

wadafawk

Original post by Clip

If you aren't disclosing the set or your identity - what is the problem with questions about money?

EDIT:

You can do better than that. Please explain what the problem is. I'm not asking you to answer questions about remuneration - just why you won't.

It is impossible to give general examples regarding remuneration; it is identified on the basis of client need, case difficulty, preparation required, distance traveled, international travel, counsel's call & specialities etc.

Also, because I decided that I didn't want to.

I hope that this satisfies your curiosity.

Reply 10

Clip

Original post by wadafawk

Really, you could have said that to start with.

Reply 11

jacketpotato

Many thanks for making this thread, please ignore the rudeness that has been shown. I'm sure lots of people are interested as there are plenty of budding barristers on this site.

I've always wondered about the role the clerks play in allocating briefs to pupils and junior barristers. I imagine that the most experienced members of chambers are requested by name, but do you ever 'sell' the abilities of junior members to solicitors? How do junior members actually end up getting instructed, do solicitors just call the chambers and ask you to suggest someone?

Reply 12

alphaman

Original post by wadafawk

Dear All,

This may or may not be of help to people. I will not take questions about money or disclose any personal details about myself or the set.

Oh good - just what I needed.

Now, I know you said that you weren't going to answer anything about yourself, so I'll be as vague as possible.

Did you do a Law degree or any degree before becoming a clerk or did you simply apply with GCSEs/A-Levels?

How are the hours? Are we talking a 9-5 here?

The prestige?

Are you ever in court?

Do you have to travel, say for example internationally? If so, why?

Do you ever have to go physically to law firms?

Do you ever have to physically go to other chambers besides your own?

Did you begin earning straightaway? (This should qualify to be answered by you as it didn't ask how much you earn)

Did you have to be well-spoken and articulate?

What was the process of entry/application? Did you have to take a course etc?

What relevant work experience was needed to succeed in any application process?

Thanks in advance (though I may have more) - and I know it's a lot of questions! Thankyou very much!!

Original post by TitanicTeutonicPhil

Do you actually think your job is anything special and desirable? (I see no other explanation for this stupid thread)

You are aware that a number of clerks earn in the excess of £100,000 a year, even more than many barristers and solicitors? A high-end senior clerk reported to earn £350,000 after only 30 years of hard work and determination - he started work as a junior clerk in 1971 with only O-levels at 17, now works at 4-5 Gray's Inn Square.

Reply 13

nulli tertius

Original post by alphaman

And is a nice guy :smile:

Reply 14

tabbycat1

Original post by wadafawk

Can you expand on this? What areas of law lead to which kinds of dynamics?

Reply 15

alphaman

Original post by nulli tertius

And is a nice guy :smile:

Ah, so you've heard of him, have you? There was an Independent article citing him which I can dig up in a jiffy, but haven't :biggrin:

Reply 16

alphaman

Original post by Indo-Chinese Food

Why arnt you a Barrister

That doesn't make much sense. It's like asking a paralegal why they aren't a solicitor, or even a solicitor why they aren't a barrister.

You must realise the entry requirements for a barrister and a clerk are substantially distinct; not to mention that the latter can become a junior clerk after A-level or even GCSEs yet with the former a degree is mostly a requisite!

Reply 17

merrrrr

What degree did you take? Also, what A-levels did you take?
Interested in becoming a Barrister when older :smile:

Reply 18

Gridiron-Gangster

Original post by wadafawk

Dear All,

This may or may not be of help to people. I will not take questions about money or disclose any personal details about myself or the set.

How good/bad is the work that a Pro Bono Barrister does i.e. is it a service worth using to get a good result?

Reply 19

nulli tertius

Original post by Indo-Chinese Food

no i wasnt really, the job he described above is much like a secretary or pa - i dont really see the purpose then of this thread, If you wanted to know about the practice of law you would talk to a solicitor or barrister. Surely too there is a Q&A forum for law students too. It was a strange thread to see pop up thats all, I really hope it wasnt just a willy-waving excercise, to say "look i got a job"

A barrister's clerk is nothing like a secretary or a PA.

Think of it more like the manager of a band. No-one expects him to sing, but he books the gigs, arranges the record contracts and runs the band members' lives.