Solicitor/ barrister question please

[Lovingwfh]

Hi all

What does called to the bar mean (UK)

How long does it take to reach this, what are the prerequisites

Is there a register to prove this

Thanks

Called to the Bar - Have passed the vocational training to be a barrister and are called to the Bar by one of the Inns of Court

How long - Shortest route 3 year law degree one year vocational training course BPTC

If you don’t have a law degree you have to do a one year conversion course

Record - There is a Barristers Register but that is only for those authorised to practice and to do that you have to completed tenancy (a further year).

Really helpful.

So in theory you could do any degree and then train for and additional year (similar to PGCE?)

I'm probably out of date (pushing 50) but to become a solicitor I did a conversion year (CPE) and then a further year (then called Legal Practice Course). After that I had there was two years on the job training contract with practical exams. And then I was on the roll.

So i would assume that barristers would need to do CPE and then a further year specific barrister training - plus 1 year (2x 6 month stints) as pupillage.

Phrased that v badly.

Non law degree + law conversion course + BPTC and then pupillage.

Don't you have to eat dinners any more?

@Lovingwfh that’s right. Often people specialise in certain areas because of their degree (so engineering degree - construction, clinical negligence - nursing and medicine).

@VeniVidiWeeWee you can do. You still have to get 12 points from your Inn, which can be from dinners or other educational events they run.

Thank you Froggie.