9084 · 1.3.2
Legal professionals flashcards
Revision flashcards for Cambridge 9084 Legal professionals (syllabus 1.3.2). Flip, recall, then mark a real past-paper question.
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Solicitor's main role?
First point of contact — advice, drafting, negotiation, litigation; employed in firms or in-house.
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Barrister's main role?
Specialist advocacy and legal opinion — self-employed in chambers, instructed via solicitor (usually).
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Solicitor training route?
Law degree/GDL → SQE assessments → 2 years qualifying work experience → admission by SRA.
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Barrister training route?
Law degree/GDL → Bar course → pupillage → tenancy; regulated by Bar Standards Board.
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CILEX lawyers?
Chartered legal executives — specialise in particular areas; growing advocacy rights.
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Fusion debate?
Whether to merge professions — ABS and solicitor advocates blur traditional divide.
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What is the 'cab-rank' rule?
The professional obligation for a barrister to accept any case in a field they profess to practise, at a proper professional fee, provided they are available and competent to do so. It ensures access to justice for all.
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What body regulates solicitors in England and Wales?
The Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA), which is the independent regulatory body of the Law Society of England and Wales.
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Describe the final practical stage of training for a barrister.
Pupillage. This is a one-year period of work-based training under the supervision of an experienced barrister (a pupil supervisor), divided into a non-practising 'first six' and a practising 'second six'.
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What is the new qualification route for solicitors?
The Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE). It consists of two sets of exams (SQE1 and SQE2) and requires two years of Qualifying Work Experience (QWE).
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State one key argument AGAINST the fusion of the legal professions.
It could lead to the loss of the independent Bar, a pool of specialist advocates available to all solicitors' firms, potentially reducing the quality of advocacy and objective advice available to clients.
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What is an Alternative Business Structure (ABS)?
A law firm structure, enabled by the Legal Services Act 2007, that allows non-lawyers to own or manage legal practices. It aims to increase competition and innovation (e.g., 'Tesco Law').
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What does it mean to be appointed King's Counsel (KC)?
It is a mark of outstanding ability as an advocate, awarded to senior barristers and solicitor-advocates after at least 10 years of practice. KCs (or QCs when the monarch is a Queen) take on the most complex and high-profile cases.
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What was a key aim of the Legal Services Act 2007?
To liberalise and regulate the market for legal services, promoting competition and the public interest. It created the Legal Services Board, enabled Alternative Business Structures (ABS), and formalised the regulatory independence of bodies like the SRA and BSB.
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Identify a key diversity challenge at the Bar.
Socio-economic diversity. A high proportion of barristers are from private school and Oxbridge backgrounds, creating barriers for those from less privileged backgrounds due to the high cost of training and unpaid work experience.