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Public Access

The Public Access scheme allows members of the public to directly engage the services of a barrister, instead of having to go through a solicitor first.

In the past, you would always have had to instruct a solicitor who would then refer you to a barrister for specialist advice and to represent you in court. The rules have now changed, and there are many situations where we can help you with legal problems directly, without your needing to go through a solicitor first. This is called Public Access, and can make legal proceedings much more affordable.

Please note, however, that not all barristers do Public Access work, and some legal problems are not suitable for Public Access. The first step is for us to gather some basic information about you and what you want to achieve.

Your questions answered…

I am thinking about approaching a Public Access barrister…

  1. Please read all of this page.
  2. Complete our initial enquiry form.
  3. We will then contact you to let you know whether or not your case is (or might be) suitable for Public Access and, if so, to arrange an initial consultation with an appropriate barrister.
  4. This barrister will explain the process and their fees, and set out the scope of work we are able to undertake on your behalf. You can then decide what work, if any, you would like them to undertake.

Who can instruct a Public Access barrister?

Any individual or business can now instruct a suitable barrister directly – for advice, contracts, drafting, help with disputes or court cases, advocacy and all manner of legal issues.

Which barristers offer Public Access work?

Not every barrister offers Public Access work, and those that do are not obliged to take on your case; they have the right to refuse to act on your behalf – especially if they do not feel that your case is suitable for Public Access. If they do accept your case, they will give you a client-care letter setting out the terms of engagement and the scope of work agreed.

What are the benefits of Public Access?

Benefits largely relate to cost and time:

  • Instructing a barrister yourself can be much less expensive.
  • Since you can do as much or as little of the preparation as you want yourself, you can make significant savings and have more control over your case.
  • Because of the way barristers’ chambers are set up, our overheads are usually much lower than law firms’.
  • Going directly to a barrister can speed up the litigation process, since you cut out any unnecessary communication.

Is my case suitable for Public Access?

Most cases can be undertaken under Public Access, but some types of cases are especially suitable, such as:

  • Individuals’ disputes involving breach of contract, family, inquests, wills or employment
  • Small and medium-sized businesses’ contractual or employment disputes, or when seeking advice on non-contentious commercial issues (such as drafting standard terms & conditions, or advising on company restructuring where redundancies may need to be considered).

Initial enquiry form