What’s the Difference between a Lawyer and a Barrister?

What’s the Difference between a Lawyer and a Barrister?


What is a Lawyer?
A lawyer is a professional admitted to the legal profession. This includes a Barrister, Solicitor, or Judge. “Lawyer” is the umbrella term to refer to members of the legal profession.
What is a Solicitor?
A solicitor is a lawyer who specialises in certain areas of law.
These may be criminal law, family matters, or civil issues including divorce, child custody proceedings, corporate transactions such as mergers & acquisitions involving large corporations that need an experienced hand signing off on its dissolution process.
What is a Barrister?
A Barrister is a lawyer who appears in court to advocate for their clients. They are typically engaged by the Solicitor when a case involves court litigation.
So, what’s the difference between a Lawyer and a Barrister?
All Barristers are lawyers, but not all lawyers are barristers.
A Barrister is a type of lawyer, who has passed the bar exam in the state they wish to practice, and who is authorized to appear on behalf of clients in court. They can act on behalf of both individuals & companies in solving their disputes under the law. They have expertise that goes beyond just oral arguments at court hearings.
A lawyer, on the other hand, is the general term used to refer to all practitioners of law in Australia.
What services are provided by Lawyers, specifically Solicitors and Barristers?
  1. Legal Advice

Lawyers provide a valuable service to the public by providing access and advice when needed. Clients can avoid disputes through consultation with lawyers who will act as middlemen between them, no matter what their problem may be- from small matters like not completing agreements properly all the way up until lawsuits have been filed against you.
Barristers are the go-to professionals for those who need legal advice and representation in court. They're experts at making sure that their clients are taking proper steps throughout any situation, no matter how big or small it may be.
  1. Client Representation

Solicitors and barristers both play an important role in court proceedings. Solicitors typically represent clients in lower courts, such as the magistrates' office. Barristers, on behalf of their client, will often appear before higher ranking judges.
  1. Drafting Documents

Lawyers need to ensure that their clients are adequately represented in and out of court, including making sure all the required documents for the protection and vindication of their rights are accurate, accounted for, and submitted on time.
Is there anything that a Solicitor can do that a Barrister cannot?
Unlike Solicitors, Barristers do not prepare or sign contracts for their clients. They may nonetheless offer some legal advice.
Why take legal advice from Solicitors and Barristers?
  1. To avoid making your situation more complicated.

Chances are, solicitors and barristers have already encountered a situation similar
to yours, so they would know what steps to take to secure a favorable outcome of
your matter. Lawyers typically have the skill set and experience to help you make
informed decisions, and avoid an escalation of delicate legal issues.
2. To ensure credibility and accuracy of legal documents.

It is a well-known fact that drafting documents under solicitor instruction will give
you more credibility. This is because it's closely supervised and your work can be used in court proceedings, which will help you get through your situation. Not only do these documents need to be carefully gathered, they must also be crafted with care.
3. To avoid future legal disputes.
It is always better to be safe than sorry when it comes down to legal matters. This should go without saying but just in case, you’ll want an expert on hand who knows what they are doing and how best to ward off any potential problems before they arise so that everything runs smoothly.
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