one of those days
Ever had one of those days where you seemed to be flat strap all day but didn't seem to actually achieve anything? Well, I had one of those days.
Partially it was because I was helping out someone else on one of their files, partially because I had a bunch of completely unproductive meetings, and partically because I spent a good part of the day researching what I have to do to become a barrister because I'm so completely pissed off with the Queensland Law Society at the moment (I swear, half the time it feels like they actively discriminate against government lawyers! *sigh*)
Listening to: Garbage - Bleed Like Me
Partially it was because I was helping out someone else on one of their files, partially because I had a bunch of completely unproductive meetings, and partically because I spent a good part of the day researching what I have to do to become a barrister because I'm so completely pissed off with the Queensland Law Society at the moment (I swear, half the time it feels like they actively discriminate against government lawyers! *sigh*)
Listening to: Garbage - Bleed Like Me
posted by OLS |
Tuesday, July 05, 2005 | 9:44 pm
3 Comments:
Well, there isn't a huge difference between the two now - whether you are a solicitor or a barrister, you have the same right of appearance before the court, but barristers are limited on the work they can take direct from the public.
Being in government, the difference is even less. There are barristers here who do what was traditionally solicitors work and solicitors who do what was traditionally barristers work. I fall into the later category.
In Queensland, we're all governed by the same Act now. I still have to do the 6-weeks Bar Practice Course, but since I'm in government and have been admitted for a while now as a solicitor, I wouldn't usually have to do the 12 months pupillage (though I probably would anyway - it's a good way of getting some mentoring and excellent contacts for the future).
So I guess that's a long way of answering your question. The short way would be to say:-
(a) you can be an advocate as a solicitor without any extra training
(b) you have to do a 6 week course and be mentored for 12 months to become a barrister, so it's not a whole new set of training, but a little bit of extra training.
- OLS
Did you find out? I think there used to be an easy method which was called the Canberra shuffle and involved being admitted to practice in NSW and the ACT and then coming back up here and.. can't remember so no help with that one. I think after 5 years as a solicitor if you have mainly done advocacy you can apply to have your name switched on the rolls or I think you can complete the Bar Practice course and do ten court reports and then obtain a Master... any of these ringing a bell - or please tell me if you know what it is I realise I know a little but that is not exactly useful is it!
Fox - no worries. I hope it all made sense. I knew the UK was different, but I didn't realise it was THAT different.
Lushlife - I haven't made any further enquiries yet. Been caught up with other things. I do know about the "Canberra shuffle", but I think I'd probably learn a lot via the bar course and pupillage anyway, so I'd be quite happy to do it that way. I'm still deciding which way I want to go.
- OLS
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