Barrister is a relatively old profession, as they have been practising in Ireland for over 450 years. But many of us may not be familiar with exactly what they do, what qualifications they have. Here are five things you may not know about barristers:

1. Who’s who? Clarifying the difference between a Barrister and solicitor

Barristers and solicitors are both legal experts, but what are the main differences?

First of all, they have different qualifications as solicitors are trained at the Law Society of Ireland Law School and must be on the Roll of Solicitors, while barristers are trained at the Honorable Society of King’s Inns and register on the Roll of Practising Barristers.

Secondly, solicitors work primarily in private practice firms or as in-house solicitors in organisations. But a barrister cannot be in partnership with another barrister. They are always entirely independent and sole practitioners.

Thirdly, whilst members of the public initially seek legal advice from a solicitor, they will usually be referred to a barrister in the event that a court appearance is required. That is what Barristers’ expertise is: presenting and arguing cases in court. In particularly complex cases, barristers also often give solicitors and clients legal advice.

2. Barrister qualification - The devil is in the detail

To practice as a Barrister in Ireland you need to complete the Barrister-at-Law degree at King’s Inns. It is a one-year full-time, or two year part-time degree and admission is by an entrance examination, which you can do if you have a law degree. If you do not have a degree in law, and you are over 23 years old, you can instead do the two year Diploma in Legal Studies at the King's Inns, followed by the entrance examination.

But you are not able to start practicing as a barrister immediately after passing the Barristers-at-Law degree. You will first be ‘called to the Bar’ by the Chief Justice of Ireland; a form of apprenticeship for barristers.

You must then also complete at least one year of unpaid work, or ‘devilling’ with a suitably qualified barrister (a ‘master’) in an established practice. You can then apply to be a member of the Law Library and on the Roll so Practicing Barristers.

Qualifying as a barrister is more costly compared to many other professions, but there are some scholarships specific to this training.

Read more about the entry routes for barristers here.

3. Nearing the centenary of women practicing as barristers

The first woman to be practice as a barrister in Ireland was Averill Deverell, who was called to the Bar in 1921. Women are still catching up as although over 50% of entrants to the Barrister-at-Law degree are women in recent years, the current ratio is 60% male to 40% female. The Irish Women Lawyers Association work to promote women in legal professions, including barristers.

4. Where do they go?

According to the Bar of Ireland, or the Law Library, it can take numerous years to build up to a reasonable level of income after qualifying as a barrister. In fact, less than half of those who qualify as barristers never practise in the courts. And of those who do, more than half drop out within five years! So where do they go?

You can find qualified barristers working in many different sectors, including communications, politics, different areas of the public sector and the arts! Some notable examples include the author of Dracula - Bram Stoker, the artist John B Yeats, the poet Máire Mhac an tSaoi and former presidents of Ireland, Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson.  

The skills you develop as a barrister, such as communications skills, research and analytical skills, and problem solving, are transferable and relevant to a broader career development.

Those who choose to practice in the courts may have a long term aspiration to become a judge and that requires a minimum of 10 years practice as either a solicitor or barrister.

5. My Lord!

It is important that barristers address the court appropriately. You may have heard a number of terms on popular TV shows, like ‘My Lord’ or ‘Justice’. And in the past, judges in Ireland were referred to as ‘My Lord’, or ‘His Lordship’, but that is no longer the case. Now, the judge is referred to as ‘Judge’, or ‘a bhreithimh’ if the case is conducted in Irish. But there are some exceptions, as the Chief Justice and President of the High Courts, are addressed by their titles.

You can read more about the solicitor profession here, and you can also read about a wider range of legal and law professions on the sector page here.

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