Advice for newly qualified barristers

[@Digibeatle09]

Only practised at the Bar for 4 years - I wish both branches of the profession the best for 2024. One amusing anecdote - this goes back to the 1980s - a particular solicitor was known for handing - time after time - piles of correspondence (often unsorted) to a particular barrister - with just a “Please advise” note on top of the “brief” - no indication as to the subject matter/issues to be advised on. Eventually the barrister - who was highly respected - became extremely tired of this treatment - and - in front of other lawyers (of both branches) in the public area of a Circuit Court building - flung the “latest bundle” - by way of “instructions” received from this solicitor - back into the hands of the guy with the words: “Here - catch !” Possibly the phenomenon of a “batch of papers” - not even in date order or any indication of what they’re about - has died out in the new millennium !

[@stephaniesamra7960]

Ha that’s hilarious 😂

[@tomgreene1843]

Well said Gerry....where have good manners gone. It is difficult for the small practitioner . My late aunt who managed a London civil service hostel enquiring what her new arrival had studied at Oxford on being told asked him ''DID THEY TEACH YOU ANY MANNERS?''....put out that cigarette in my office!

[@michaellogan1428]

I had been a client of a sole trader solicitor for c15 years. About three years ago they sold the practice to another sole trader. Neither solicitor communicated anything to me directly. I learned about the changes through other channels. I recently needed some legal work done and the first thing I did was collect my deeds and documents and hand them over to a third solicitor who has turned out to be a gem .

[@SettlementAgreementSolicitor]

Very sound advice there Terry, as always. I really appreciate your advice for small business people, based on decades of experience and backed up by real life examples. It's always important to remember where one's income is coming from!

[@eddiestaunton514]

My very brief experience of Barristers would be to be wary of embellishing the defence of a man whose circumstances speak for themselves

[@yeah7598]

The big problem here is that the Irish copied the British system of law in 1922. The Irish should have implemented the lawyer system where the lawyer takes the case and argues it in the courts, and there are NO barristers. In USA there are senior lawyers and junior lawyers depending on years of experience and cases argued and won in the courts. This would reduce costs and make justice in the courts more accessible to the general public. Unfortunately the Irish like to copy the british and follow the british rules and customs. There should have been a total removal of the british system in 1922. I just finished reading the book 'Solving the Murder of Michael Collins' which delves into this area, and the shower of british imitator crooks who took over after his death in 1922.

[@stephaniesamra7960]

Just a question - did you not ask - How much you charging me/my client? It’s the client who ultimately pays the solr and barrister. If barrister charging a lot - best choose another one .

[@tomkenna6916]

Terry, do you personally email all your clients after completing a piece of work or after they have made payment, fair play if you do?? My personal experience dealing with lawyers over the years would be to expect nothing other that what you have laid out here, not saying it's right or best practice but it is the reality with all the lawyers I have encountered :-)

[@terrygorry]

Of course I do. What do you expect me to do, ignore them?

[@Monaleenian]

Have you considered the possibility that the hefty bill and the lack of a response from the barrister constituted a message? That message being “please do not ever seek to use my services again”. Not a nice thought but this barrister might be in a position to pick and choose their work and have decided that, for whatever reason, they do not want to deal with you.

[@terrygorry]

No, I know they are only newly qualified, haven’t a pot to piss in in terms of their business development, and had previously emailed me telling me which courts they covered and would be delighted if I gave them further instructions.

[@Monaleenian]

@@terrygorry Fair enough. It sounds like a skill issue on their side so.

[@itamadden]

Justice and Fairness I'm not convinced it's a game and depends how good you are at playing that game

[@brianthompson5847]

Well said… it’s common courtesy. But unfortunately the youth of today think it’s their ‘God Given Right’ ….. it’s not only in the law profession….

[@ministry_of_love]

As a lay person, I always wondered why barristers cannot engage directly with members of the public.

[@JosieConnolly-y1w]

In England you can instruct a barrister directly, why can't people in Ireland do the same. System makes no sense.

[@ministry_of_love]

@@JosieConnolly-y1w I agree

[@HH-hd3gs]

He probably thought he was doing you a favour.

[@byrnedes]

You said it - complete lack of class.

[@lorrainebyrne2536]

No class. He wont be getting any more work from your corner.

[@eltinmccarthy2469]

Is it true that a well known Irish Acting school gives drama lessons to aspiring Barristers....... you know teach barristers how to lie better. The art of deception.........one of the cornerstones of Irish law. Genuine question

[@stephaniesamra7960]

That would be highly unethical - lawyers cannot mislead the court. It’s your reputation at the end of the day.