Barrister's clerk
Barristers' clerks are responsible for the day-to-day administration in barristers' offices, known as chambers.
- Starter salary£24,000 a year
- Experienced£40,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 42 a week
What you'll do
As a barrister's clerk, you could:
- collect and deliver document bundles for offices and courts
- photocopy, scan, print and prepare case documents
- deal with letters, emails, online messages and phone calls
- collect fees, handle accounts, invoices and petty cash
- organise your chamber's law library and store case files correctly
- manage the legal team's diaries and meetings
- work closely with solicitors, clients and their barristers
Working environment
You could work in an office, at chambers or in a court.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- administration skills
- excellent verbal communication skills
- excellent written communication skills
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- the ability to use your initiative
- the ability to work well with others
- legal knowledge including court procedures and government regulations
- the ability to work well under pressure
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages confidently
How to become a barrister's clerk
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- a college course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
University
It may be helpful to study for a degree in business administration, law or legal studies, though this is not essential.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
College
You could do a college course before applying for work in a barrister's office. Courses include:
- business administration
- law or applied law
- T level in Management and Administration
- T Level in Legal Services
Entry requirements
Entry requirements for these courses vary.
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths for a T Level
Apprenticeship
You could apply to do a Business Administrator Level 3 Advanced Apprenticeship.
This can take up to 2 years to complete and is a mix of on-the-job training and study.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
Work
You could start as an admin assistant in a law office and train on the job to become a barrister's clerk.
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent, including maths and English
- experience in administration, legal work, accounting or management
Paid or unpaid work experience in a barrister's chambers may give you an advantage when applying for jobs.
Career path and progression
With experience, you could become a senior barrister's clerk, chambers director or practice manager.
As a senior clerk, you'll:
- recruit, train and supervise junior staff
- bring business into chambers
- allocate cases to barristers
- manage finances and negotiate fees
Guides for this industry
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