Outline the structure of the legal profession in the UK and comment whether the profession should be fused into one as opposed to maintaining 2 distinct branches of the same profession - Essay Example

barrister differ by comparing them to each other, and to comment whether these two legal professions should be fused into one as opposed to maintaining two distinct branches of the same profession. To train as a barrister, one needs a degree of at least at upper second class honors. If the degree is in law then the graduate can go onto the next stage of training. However, if the degree is in another subject than law, then the student must do a Common Professional Examination or then a Postgraduate Diploma in Law to go onto the next stage of training as a Barrister.

Once the academic side has been completed, the hopeful barrister is required to join one of the four Inns of Court, either Gray’s Inn, Lincoln’s Inn, the Middle Temple or then the Inner Temple. After joining one of the four Inns, the barrister has to attend twelve dinners or then if not one can attend educational forums such as weekend residential courses. The purpose of the dinners is so that the barrister can meet people of the same profession such as judges. The barrister makes contacts so that when they need advice of any sort, they can ask a contact.

This is beneficial as the barrister can learn additional information from the senior and experienced members of the professional as not everything is written in black and white. The Bar Vocational Course (BVC) is the practical part of barrister’s training. The BVC helps to develop key skills such as legal research, fact management and advocacy as well as the core areas of knowledge of civil and criminal litigation and evidence and sentencing. Then after completing the BVC, the students are called to the Bar where they graduate.

The duration of this course is one year. If students intend to practice as a barrister, then they have to spend twelve months doing a pupillage with a senior barrister. This is the final step for a student before becoming a practicing barrister. Doing pupillage exercises the extensive knowledge and the skills the trainee