Public/Direct Access

Until recently members of the public have not been allowed to go directly to a barrister for legal advice. In the past if you needed the expert opinion of a barrister or a barrister to represent you in court you had to first engage the services of a solicitor who would then instruct the barrister on your behalf.

Recent changes mean that members of the public can now go directly to a barrister without having to also involve a solicitor. These changes are referred to in the Bar Standards Board's Public Access Guidance for Lay Clients which explains how the Public Access scheme works. As a result we have established a new service simply called Barristers Direct.

Barristers Direct can provide you with the following services:

• Practical guidance on procedural and other steps to be taken prior to any court hearing
• Effective legal advice and assistance on all matters of law, practice and evidence
• Drafting of formal and legal documents required for court hearings
• Appearing on your behalf to present your case at court
• Expert opinion on the merits of any appeal against sentence or conviction

How to instruct a barrister

1. Contact Barristers Direct

In the first instance, please telephone our senior clerks Christine Maloney or Rosemarie Maloney at Barristers Direct on 0121 212 1414 or get in touch by e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

You will need to provide your contact details including an e-mail address and let them know the nature of the work with which you need our assistance and any deadlines that need to be met.

Our clerks will then determine the appropriate area of practice and arrange an initial meeting between you and your barrister at our chambers at Fountain Court, Steelhouse Lane, Birmingham B4 6DR, and advise you of the fee for that first meeting.

2 Initial Meeting

At the first meeting you will need to provide your barrister with all the relevant documents relating to your case. Where there is a substantial amount of papers you should ensure copies are made available for your barrister at least three days before the meeting to allow your barrister time to consider your case. Your barrister will review the papers and make an assessment of the work required. He/she will determine whether the case is suitable for public/direct access and advise you on the next steps.

3 Agreement to Proceed

If your case is suitable for public/direct access, Barristers Direct will indicate the fee for each piece of work, or where appropriate the case overall. A client care letter will be provided to you setting out the terms and conditions including the services to be provided by Barristers Direct. You will be asked to sign the client care letter which forms the agreement between you and Barristers Direct.

If you have any queries at any stage you can contact our clerks who will be happy to help or via email to your instructed barrister.

4 Fees

We are happy to provide you with a fixed fee quote so that you know how much you will be paying for the work you are instructing counsel to do. All fees quoted are excluding VAT. When assessing the fixed fee, the clerks, in consultation with the barrister you are instructing, will consider:

• The complexity of your case;
• The type of work;
• The type and length of the hearing;
• The amount of paperwork involved;
• The amount of preparation and time required to complete the work you are instructing them to do;
• The seniority and expertise of counsel required;
• Any expenses that may be required such as hotel or travel.

All fees quoted below are exclusive of VAT.

Court hearings - £750-£2000 (subject to location); Advice and conferences - £200 per hour

First appointment hearings - £750 - £2500; Financial dispute resolution appointment - £1250 - £3000; First day of final hearing - £1750 - £3500; Court appearances per day after the first day - £1250 - £2000; Drafting paperwork and conferences - £200 - £300 per hour

Written advice - £350 - £2000; Guilty plea hearing - £750 - £2500; First appearance (pre-trial) - £750 - £2500; First day of trial - £1250 - £3000; Court appearances per day after the first day of trial - £600 - £2000.