Solicitors and Barristers

Details on the training, role, organisation and complaint methods for both solicitors and barristers for OCR AS Level Law G151.

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What are the three paths that you can take to become a solicitor?
1) Law Degree, 2) Non-Law degree, 3) CILEx Route
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Describe the law degree route.
3 years doing a law degree (£9000/9250 per year), legal practise course (1 year, £10-15k), training contract (4x6months) and professional skills course, admission to the roll.
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Describe the non-law degree route.
Degree in a non-law topic (3 years, £9000/9250 per year), and then a graduate diploma in law or a common professional exam, legal practise course (1 year, £10-15k), training contract (4x6months) and professional skills course, admission to the roll.
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Describe the ILEx route.
Complete ILEX exams while for a solicitor or ILEX fellow, 2y work experience common professional exam or graduate diploma in law (1 year), lpc (1 year, £10-15k), training contract (4x6months) and professional skills course, admission to the roll.
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How long do each of the routes take to complete?
Law degree = 6 years, non-law degree and CILEx = 7 years
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State the general facts of Solicitors (organisation).
there are about 160'000 in the UK. work in firms. governed by the Law Society. Regulated by the Solicitor Reglation Authority, Legal Services Act 2007 allows solicitors to work in alternative business structures
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State the general facts of Barristers (organisation).
12'000 in UK. Work in chambers and over 80% are self employeed. Governed by Bar Council. Regulated by the Bar Standards Board. A Clerk organises their cases and clients for them. Cab Rank rule = must take on cases the clerk gives unless preoccupied.
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Describe the role of Solicitors (their work).
Meetings with clients and other legal professionals, give advice for clients (30mins are free), write documents (wills, divorce papers), advocacy (appear in magistrates court unless they have a certificate of advocacy) ,negotiations, case research
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Describe the role of Barristers (their work).
Negotiations, legal research, writing opinions on cases (usually requested by a solicitor) but mainly advocacy appearing in any court
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What are the 5 organizations that Clients can complain to about Solicitors.
1) Firm 2) Solicitors regulation authority 3) Solicitors disciplinary tribunal 4) Court Action 5) Legal Ombudsman
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What are the 5 organizations that Clients can complain to about Barristers.
1) Chambers 2) Bar standards board 3) Barristors disciplinary tribunal 4) court action 5) legal ombudsman
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What kind of complaints does a Firm/Chamber deal with and what actions can they make?
Only deal with minor issues. Can fire the solicitor/Barrister or request a refund for the client.
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What kind of complaints does the Solicitor Regulation Authority/Bar Standards Board deal with and what actions can they make?
Serious Professional Misconduct. Can fine, reprimand, suspend/strike off solicitors/Barrister and close down firms.
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What is the Solicitors/Barristers Discipilinary Tribunal and what actions can they make?
Independent body made of a panel (solicitors = 2 solicitors and one lay member, Barristers = 3/5 panel members) - appointed by the Master of the Rolls. Can strike off, suspend, fire and order an appoligy. s.47 Solicitor act 1974=discipline solicitors
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What kind of complaints does the Courts deal with and what actions can they make?
Solicitors can be sued for breach of contract and negligence but Barristers can only be sued for negligence as they dont sign an offical contract
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What kind of complaints does the Legal Ombudsman deal with and what actions can they make?
Can order an appology, return of documents, can be asked to put things right if possible, refund/reduce of fees, or pay compensation of up to £30'000
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What are the arguements for fusing the legal professions?
Cheaper as they are only paying for 1 lawyer, Less duplication of work therefore saves time, more continuity due to only one lawyer needed and therefore better for clients, changes havent made them the same and complicate things
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What the arguemnts for not fusing the legal professions?
More expensive (less completitionfir to lost jobs), lose specialist advice and skills and therefore could increase the length of cases, lose cab rank rule (worse for cleints if lawyers wont take case), no need to fuse, changes been made
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Describe the law degree route.

Back

3 years doing a law degree (£9000/9250 per year), legal practise course (1 year, £10-15k), training contract (4x6months) and professional skills course, admission to the roll.

Card 3

Front

Describe the non-law degree route.

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

Describe the ILEx route.

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

How long do each of the routes take to complete?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
View more cards

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