I can’t wait for your take on this 😂

[Streetwalker]

Correct, and this is referenced in the article "that's why they're walking away".

My point was she didnt walk away . She saw it was a crap job for someone who needed an income this week . People who walk away thought otherwise or came to he same conclusion after giving it a go .

[Nick]

It is what they earn, for their full time job, the details are in the linked story in the OP.

Also as a small note - [highlight]the post-graduate Bar course takes 1 year to complete, not 5[/highlight].

Plus 1 year pupillage and you may not be offered a tenancy so could go on a bit longer, but you're right, it's not five years. Still a long time to end up on 9K, and nobody is going to do it for that. 

[Nalaar]

Let's face it, who actually thought that anyone would do a law degree followed by 5 years getting to the Bar for £9K. And if they did earn that, it would be for a minuscule amount of time.

It is what they earn, for their full time job, the details are in the linked story in the OP.

Also as a small note - the post-graduate Bar course takes 1 year to complete, not 5.

[Good old]

Well somebody was because my OP clearly pointed that I was being sarcastic about their 'For the good of the people' work when they make such massive salaries behind it. Let's face it, who actually thought that anyone would do a law degree followed by 5 years getting to the Bar for £9K. And if they did earn that, it would be for a minuscule amount of time.

Basically you seem to promote the idea that the vast majority of people should only get access to justice if those able to supply it do so at a totally charitable rate. This dispute is as much about the 25% cuts that have been made in legal aid as it is for an actual real increase in fees. Another prime example of how so called small government, is actually nothing more than an attack on what should be enshrined in our liberties.

[Nick]

I don't think anyones suggesting they are walking away from private work? They're walking away from public work, which will create problems, for the public.

Well somebody was because my OP clearly pointed that I was being sarcastic about their 'For the good of the people' work when they make such massive salaries behind it. Let's face it, who actually thought that anyone would do a law degree followed by 5 years getting to the Bar for £9K. And if they did earn that, it would be for a minuscule amount of time. 

BTW, the paltry salaries mentioned in the piece is purely for their Pro Bono work, so kind of them to give their time for the good of the public. 😂 


https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-62629776

[Nalaar]

They're not walking away from the private work, which is the point.

I don't think anyones suggesting they are walking away from private work? They're walking away from public work, which will create problems, for the public. 

[patman post]

Nope, it means for the people, I would a man of your good standing would have done Latin at school 😉. It may be associated with free, but only for the individual, the justice system still pays and that's just some of the work they do.

Didn't do Latin or Greek at school. My interest in languages came about through mixing with Dutch, French, Portuguese and Spanish speakers from surrounding countries from a young age for over a decade.

Anyway, depending on context, wouldn't "for the people" be ad populum in Latin?

According to The Law Society, pro bono work is legal advice or representation provided free of charge by legal professionals in the public interest...

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/pro-bono/introduction-to-pro-bono

[Nick]

But isn't the dispute about fees for legal aid criminal cases, that new criminal barristers are often expected to take?

The general poor state of court and ancillary accommodation for barristers has also been raised.

These new criminal barristers can earn as little as £9,000 once costs, including transport, are factored in. Some of these barristers claim the time they spend preparing cases means their hourly earnings are below minimum wage.

I guess new recruits could all choose private and corporate law, where media starting salaries are around £25,000. But will this resolve the growing backlog of criminal...?

Salaries for those undertaking pupillage (final stage of qualification for the Bar) must be no less than £18,866 per year in London and £16,633 outside of London. This minimum is by the Bar Standards Board (BSB). 

There you have it, during their education they have minimum salaries, nowhere near the £9K before tax expressed here.

[Nick]

Correct, and this is referenced in the article "that's why they're walking away".

They're not walking away from the private work, which is the point. 

[patman post]

We know how much you lefties love a good strike, well he's this for a strike!
Criminal Barristers, some who up to £800 an hour are going on strike over pay.
I do hope you're all going to get behind their plight, the poor mites need your support.
BTW, the paltry salaries mentioned in the piece is purely for their Pro Bono work, so kind of them to give their time for the good of the public. 😂


https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-62629776

But isn't the dispute about fees for legal aid criminal cases, that new criminal barristers are often expected to take?

The general poor state of court and ancillary accommodation for barristers has also been raised.

These new criminal barristers can earn as little as £9,000 once costs, including transport, are factored in. Some of these barristers claim the time they spend preparing cases means their hourly earnings are below minimum wage.

I guess new recruits could all choose private and corporate law, where media starting salaries are around £25,000. But will this resolve the growing backlog of criminal...?

[patman post]

My niece passed her law degree  about the same time and decided a career in retail would be more profitable . There is always a choice ,nobody is forcing anyone to become a barrister .

...or barista, but it could pay more even though it can be hard work...
https://notabarista.org/physical-inuries-barista-has/

[Nalaar]

There is always a choice ,nobody is forcing anyone to become a barrister .

Correct, and this is referenced in the article "that's why they're walking away". 

[Good old]

About 15 years ago I was assisting a barrister for a while, basic administrative stuff, during one case while the client was signing the legal aid paperwork he asked the barrister how much he got paid for him that day, if I recall correctly the barrister said £39, to which the client replied 'wow £39 for 10 minutes work' the barrister replied in turn '£39 to drive 90-minutes here, wait for 2 hours for our case to be called, outline in 10 minutes how we intend to protect your liberties, having liaised with your solicitor over the past few days and consulting the relevant case files, and I still have a 90-minute drive home ahead, wow indeed.'

He was being uppish, but he was utterly correct.

Of course he was right. If you run a small or large for that matter business doing household repairs, for instance, you must have a call out charge, even if the job takes an hour the whole of a morning has to be paid for. Why would a brief be any different. 

[Streetwalker]

About 15 years ago I was assisting a barrister for a while, basic administrative stuff, during one case while the client was signing the legal aid paperwork he asked the barrister how much he got paid for him that day, if I recall correctly the barrister said £39, to which the client replied 'wow £39 for 10 minutes work' the barrister replied in turn '£39 to drive 90-minutes here, wait for 2 hours for our case to be called, outline in 10 minutes how we intend to protect your liberties, having liaised with your solicitor over the past few days and consulting the relevant case files, and I still have a 90-minute drive home ahead, wow indeed.'

He was being uppish, but he was utterly correct.

My niece passed her law degree  about the same time and decided a career in retail would be more profitable . There is always a choice ,nobody is forcing anyone to become a barrister .

[Nick]

Pro bono = free, gratis, unpaid, unrewarded, unsalaried, free of charge

Nope, it means for the people, I would a man of your good standing would have done Latin at school 😉. It may be associated with free, but only for the individual, the justice system still pays and that's just some of the work they do.