Foreword
As a circuit judge sitting in Manchester, I have the opportunity of having many new members of the Bar appear before me on a daily basis. However, I do not get the opportunity to speak to them about their day- to-day experiences of practice, which is likely to be very different than my own back in the early 1980s.
When I was a new barrister, I did not specialise in any particular field and, like many, I took any work that was offered to me. Over the last 20 years or so there has been a move towards specialisation at an earlier stage than before. It seems that people are often required to choose their path when they apply for pupillage, even though they may not be entirely sure themselves that they’ve chosen the correct path. This is one reason why I believe this book provides such invaluable information for those considering a career at the Bar. The interviewees specialise in many different areas of law and give a true picture of what life is like during the early years of practice at the Bar.When I left the Inns of Court School of Law to enter the world of pupillage in 1982, I knew how to draft particulars of claim, conduct a bail application, a plea in mitigation and write an Advice, but I had very little idea about the realities of life during the early years of practice at the Bar. What is life really like in Chambers? What sort of clients would I have? How much work could I expect? How much could I really hope to earn? How do I look after my own wellbeing? How do I get work? There have always been legal textbooks, books on advocacy and drafting, but rarely is there a book that contains such practical information. This is that book.
I have known Nigel Booth for more than 20 years from when he was a young prosecutor to when he became a colleague in Chambers and latterly as an advocate appearing in front of me.
Meticulous in everything he does, it does not surprise me that he should have conceived the idea to create and edit such a book as this. Nigel has always been interested in research going beyond that which is normally undertaken at the Bar, having advised on research into jury decision-making and written books to assist litigants in person. As one can see from this volume, Nigel has a particular interest in assisting those who may be considering becoming a barrister as well as those who have already embarked on their careers. He has used his considerable experience of practice at the Bar to tease out a considerable amount of valuable information from his interviewees, who have been candid about their experiences.This book provides a unique insight into the real-life experiences of barristers during their early years of practice. Everyone from the A-level student contemplating a career at the Bar to the pupillage applicant anxiously considering their choices as the gateway opens should read this book to understand what they may face in those first years in the profession. It should be part of every budding barrister’s library, as it is likely to become as important as any legal textbook.
His Honour Judge Maurice Greene Manchester Crown Court Minshull Street, Manchester January 2022