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- Deal with the admin in barristers' offices and organise the barristers' workload
- You'll need excellent communication skills, attention to detail and administration skills
- Become a senior barristers' clerk, chambers director or practice manager
DAY-TO-DAY DUTIES
- Preparing papers and taking books, documents and robes to and from court
- Messenger work (collecting and delivering documents by hand)
- Photocopying, filing and dealing with letters, emails and phone calls
- Handling accounts, invoices and petty cash
- Collecting fees organising the law library
- Managing each barrister's daily diary
- Keeping their case information up-to-date
- Dealing with solicitors, clients and their barristers
- Reorganising barristers' schedules when necessary
DAY-TO-DAY ENVIRONMENT
You could work at chambers, in an office or in a court.
You'll need
This role would be ideal for someone with excellent communication skills, attention to detail, and administration skills.
You could start as an admin assistant in a legal office and take further training on the job to work your way up. You'll usually need 4 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent, including maths and English and experience in administration, legal secretarial work, accounts or management. Paid or unpaid work experience in barristers' offices, called chambers, may give you an advantage when applying for jobs.
Some employers may expect you to have a university degree. A course in law or a related subject can be useful but is not always essential.
Many firms will look for A level or equivalent qualifications. Doing a college course like a Level 3 Diploma in Providing Legal Services could help you to prepare for this job.
You could get into this job through an intermediate or advanced apprenticeship in legal services or business administration.
CAREER PROSPECTS
With experience, you might become a senior barristers' clerk, chambers director or practice manager. In this role, you'll spend time recruiting, training and supervising junior clerks, bringing business into chambers, allocating cases to barristers, and negotiating fees. You'll also be responsible for the financial management of the chambers.