What You Should Know About Working With a Barrister
Posted on: 27 September 2021
There are two types of lawyers in Australia: solicitors and barristers. Solicitors typically do their work outside of a courtroom setting, while barristers are the legal professionals who appear in court for trials and other court proceedings. If you think that you are going to need a barrister for your upcoming trial or other court proceedings, then you might be interested in hiring one. You'll probably want to know these things about working with a barrister since if you're like many people, you might have never been in a situation in which you had to hire one of these legal professionals.
You'll Probably Work With a Solicitor First
Even though you might feel confident that you will need to hire a barrister, you will probably want to get in contact with a solicitor first. First of all, in some cases, a solicitor might recommend that you handle your case outside of court. For example, in a personal injury case, a solicitor might recommend that you fight for an out-of-court settlement to save time and money.
Once you talk to a solicitor, they can help you determine whether or not going to court is actually right for your case. If not, the solicitor might be able to help you. If you do end up deciding to go to court with your case, however, the solicitor will likely work along with a barrister to handle your case. In many law firms, it's common for both solicitors and barristers to be a part of the firm, so you may not have to try and find a barrister on your own.
The Barrister Should Handle Things Formally and Professionally
If you do end up hiring a barrister, you should be able to count on them to handle your case formally and professionally. For example, typically, barristers wear formal coats and wigs when they are in the courtroom. They know all about courtroom decorum and will speak to the judge and the officers of the court in a professional manner.
Their Services Might Be a Bit More Costly
Because of their experience and the time that they have to spend in the courtroom, barristers do sometimes charge higher legal fees than solicitors. However, you should not have to worry about legal fees catching you by surprise. Your lawyer will be honest with you about what those fees will be from the very beginning.
It's important to get the right legal help. Contact a lawyer to learn more.
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