The Difference Between A Lawyer And A Barrister

One common misperception among people is that lawyers and barristers are the same. 

The legal profession is more diverse than people think. A lawyer is known for his suit, high heels and the courtroom and similarly, the word barrister brings to mind images of a white wig and black dress robe, but beyond their legal attire, a Barrister and lawyer are different.

Barristers are lawyers but not all lawyers are barristers, a barrister is a type of Lawyer but a Lawyer is not always a Barrister. 

Do you want to know the difference between both of them? If yes, find at the out what the difference is between a lawyer and Barrister below.

In this article we will be looking at what makes a Barrister and lawyer different members of same profession.

Lawyers

Lawyers are people who practice law as a Solicitor, Barrister or attorney. They are people who are admitted to the broader legal profession which includes being a Barrister, Solicitor or Judge.

If you are wondering who a Solicitor is, a Solicitor is someone with a certificate to practice law that is neither a lawyer or judge.

Lawyers tend to focus on a particular field or areas in law. There are general lawyers who can handle all fields, while there are specialist lawyers who are experts in a particular field like criminal lawyers, commercial lawyers, etc. For example, businesses who are looking for a legal advisor can actually talk to a business lawyer.

A Solicitor can provide legal advice for your case, but when the case proceeds to court, a Barrister will be needed to defend you in court.

Barristers are lawyers but not all lawyers are barristers, this is because if a lawyer hasn't passed the Bar examination he can not become a Barrister. So it is only when a person pass the bar examination that they can become Barristers.

When a lawyer doesn't pass the bar exam, they will remain as lawyers and cannot defend in court because they don't have the licence to. So lawyers only have a certificate to handle legal issues within a law firm or office setting, they can not defend in court until they become Barristers.

Barristers

Barristers are lawyers who have passed the Bar examination in their respective state, have studied the bar course and have undertaken their readership with a senior barrister. As lawyers who have passed the Bar exam, they can appear in court to defend their clients but technically work for the Solicitor.

So to understand it clearly, Lawyers can't appear in court until they become Barristers. Both Barristers and Solicitors are lawyers, just that their legal roles are different.