 | Barrister: Encyclopedia II - Barrister - Barristers in Northern Ireland
Barrister - Barristers in Northern Ireland
Main article: Barristers in Northern Ireland
In April 2003 there were 555 barristers in independent practice in Northern Ireland. Sixty six were Queen’s Counsel ("QC's"), barristers who have earned a high reputation and are appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor as senior advocates and advisers.
Those barristers who are not QC's are called Junior Counsel and are styled "B.L." or "Barrister-at-Law". The term "junior" is misleading since many members of the Junior Bar are experienced barristers with considerable expertise.
Benchers are, and have been for centuries, the governing bodies of the four Inns of Court in London and King’s Inns, Dublin. The Benchers of the Inn of Court of Northern Ireland governed the Inn until the enactment of the Constitution of the Inn in 1983, which provides that the government of the Inn is shared between the Benchers, the Executive Council of the Inn and members of the Inn assembled in General Meeting.
The Executive Council (through its Education Committee) is responsible for considering Memorials submitted by applicants for admission as students of the Inn and by Bar students of the Inn for admission to the degree of Barrister-at-Law and making recommendations to the Benchers. The final decisions on these memorials are taken by the Benchers. The Benchers also have the exclusive power of expelling or suspending a Bar student and of disbarring a barrister or suspending a barrister from practice.
The Executive Council is also involved with the education; fees of students; calling counsel to the Bar although call to the Bar is performed by the Lord Chief Justice on the invitation of the Benchers; administration of the Bar Library (to which all practising members of the Bar belong); and liaising with corresponding bodies in other countries.
The Bar Council is responsible for the maintenance of the standards, honour and independence of the Bar and, through its Professional Conduct Committee, receives and investigates complaints against members of the Bar in their professional capacity.
All barristers and solicitors in NI have passed exams at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies, of Queen's University of Belfast. The exams there are different from the rest of the UK, but on the possession of a qualifiying law degree (especially from QUB, Queens), the teaching can be missed. Those with a non-qualifying degree can still do the exams, on the completion of the relevant course. After a pupillage with an experienced barrister at the Bar Library, one is then qualified.
Barristers in NI do not dine formally, as is done in England.
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 Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Barristers in Northern Ireland", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki |
