what does 'counsel' mean?

[redadmiralsinthegarden]

i am in the early stages of initiating a judicial review. my solicitor has said that they need to seek counsel's advice before prrceeding with it.
who is counsel? a barrister?

A barrister.

Without meaning to sound rude, why didn't you ask your solicitor? Did you worry you'd feel daft or did it not occur to you until later? If it's the latter, that's fine obviously. If it's the former, are you sure it's the right law firm for you? You should feel comfortable asking them things.

thanks you'll. it's going via my union rep, and i was sent the soliciotr's letter via email.

Ah, ok. But seriously, ask them questions if you need to.

A barrister is best known for doing the 'standing up in court' bit of legal work. But actually another important aspect is providing expert opinions. Their focus is more academic than that of a solicitor, who does the 'on the ground' practical stuff. The letter writing, the drafting, dealing with the other side. Counsel's opinion is often a useful step if the state of the law is not entirely clear, on in flux. It can help you decide whether to proceed with a particular plan of action.