Direct Access Barristers Exeter
Public Access counsel for the Exeter Combined Court Centre and Devon tribunal venues — instructed directly, on a fixed fee, without a solicitor in the middle.
Exeter is the principal civil, family and criminal hearing centre for Devon, serving Torbay, Newton Abbot, Barnstaple and North Devon. For the right kind of work, instructing an Exeter direct access barrister is faster and substantially cheaper than routing the work through a Devon firm.
Clerk&Counsel places independent, BSB-registered Public Access counsel for clients in Exeter, Torquay, Newton Abbot, Barnstaple and across the wider Devon and East Cornwall area. We are a clerking agency, not a chambers, and we route instructions to suitable counsel based on fit, availability and fee.
Most Exeter direct access instructions are confirmed within 24–72 hours. For urgent injunction work, listed FDRs and short-notice possession applications counsel can usually be briefed inside a day.
Send a short brief. A clerk will come back with shortlisted, available counsel and indicative fees within 24–72 hours.
Send a brief →Direct access work routinely handled across Devon and the South West.
Family — finance & children
Divorce, financial remedy, FDR and final hearings at the Family Court at Exeter; Schedule 1, child arrangements, prohibited steps and specific issue.
Property, landlord & tenant
TOLATA, beneficial interest, holiday let, leasehold and Housing Act possession work across Devon and East Cornwall.
Agricultural & rural property
Boundary, easement, tenancy and agricultural holdings disputes across Devon and Dartmoor.
Inheritance and Inheritance Act claims
Contested probate, 1975 Act claims, executor disputes and trust work for the Devon retirement belt.
Commercial & contract disputes
Contract, debt, partnership and supply disputes at the County Court at Exeter, with the Bristol District Registry available for heavier civil work.
Employment and tribunal work
Unfair dismissal, discrimination and TUPE claims at the Exeter Employment Tribunal.
Where Exeter direct access matters are heard.
The Exeter Combined Court Centre at Southernhay Gardens, Exeter, EX1 1UH houses the County Court at Exeter, the Family Court at Exeter and the Crown Court at Exeter. It is the primary civil, family and criminal hearing venue for Devon.
Lower-value civil and family work is also heard at the County Courts at Torquay, Newton Abbot, Barnstaple and Plymouth. Direct access barristers are placed on suitable matters at all of these venues.
Tribunal work affecting Exeter clients is generally listed at the Exeter Employment Tribunal hearing centre and at First-tier Tribunal venues in Taunton and Newport. Public Access is widely used for tribunal advocacy across these jurisdictions.
A cost-effective route for Exeter clients.
Devon clients usually want two things: specialist court advocacy and a fee they can plan around. Direct access delivers both — you pay one professional, the barrister, on a fixed fee for a defined piece of work, rather than a solicitor's hourly file plus counsel's fee on top.
It is a particularly strong fit for Devon SMEs, landlords, agricultural and rural property clients, retired clients with inheritance issues, and family clients who already understand their case and want senior advocacy at the hearing.
Where the matter genuinely needs a solicitor — heavy disclosure, multi-party litigation or complex trust evidence — the clerks will say so up front and, if helpful, point you to a Devon firm to lead the file with counsel kept in reserve.
From brief to barrister in 24–72 hours.
Send a brief
A short description of your matter, any key documents and the deadline you are working to.
Clerk shortlists counsel
We identify Public Access-qualified barristers with the right expertise, confirm availability and fixed fees.
Client care letter
BSB-compliant client care letter sets scope, fee and timetable in writing for your signature.
Counsel begins work
Work starts as soon as the letter is signed and fees are received. You deal with the barrister directly.
Fixed fees for Exeter instructions,
agreed in writing.
Every direct access instruction in Exeter starts with a written client care letter setting out the scope of work, the fee and the timetable. You know what you are paying before any work begins — no hourly meter, no surprise.
Indicative ranges only, plus VAT. Actual fee depends on counsel, seniority, complexity and timetable.
The main differences at a glance.
Direct access (Public Access) lets you instruct a barrister without a solicitor in the middle. The traditional model uses a solicitor to manage the file and instruct counsel. Both are regulated and both have their place. The table below sets out the practical differences for a typical private client matter.
| Direct access barrister | Solicitor instructed barrister | |
|---|---|---|
| Who you instruct | The barrister directly, through the clerks. | A solicitor, who then instructs a barrister on your behalf. |
| Professionals you pay | One: the barrister. | Two: the solicitor and the barrister. |
| Fee structure | Fixed fee, agreed in writing before any work begins. | Solicitor on hourly rates, barrister on brief fee. Costs build over time. |
| Typical overall cost | Lower. One specialist, one fee per piece of work. | Higher. Two firms, two sets of overheads, hourly billing on the file. |
| Time to instruct | 24 to 72 hours from brief to client care letter. | One to three weeks for file opening, AML checks and counsel selection. |
| Who runs the file day to day | You do, as litigant in person. The barrister advises and represents. | The solicitor manages the file, correspondence and court filings. |
| Court filings and correspondence | You file documents and deal with the court office. Counsel tells you what to file and when. | The solicitor files documents and corresponds with the court and other side. |
| Advice, drafting and advocacy | Done by the barrister you instruct. | Drafting often shared between solicitor and barrister. Advocacy by counsel. |
| Best suited to | Defined pieces of work: advice, drafting, hearings, negotiation. | Heavy disclosure, safeguarding, complex multi party litigation and ongoing case management. |
| Regulation | Bar Standards Board. Counsel carries professional indemnity insurance. | Solicitors Regulation Authority and Bar Standards Board. |
If the case is unsuitable for direct access, for example public law children work or matters needing heavy ongoing case management, the clerks will say so up front and point you to a solicitor.
Questions Exeter clients ask.
Can I instruct a direct access barrister in Exeter without a solicitor?
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Yes. Any BSB Public Access-qualified barrister can take instructions directly from members of the public and businesses across Exeter, Torbay, Plymouth and the wider Devon area.
How much does a direct access barrister cost in Exeter?
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Exeter Public Access fees typically run £400–£850 for a written advice, £750–£2,500 for a drafted statement of case, and £1,200–£3,500 for a full-day hearing. Every fee is fixed and agreed in writing in the BSB client care letter before any work begins.
Which Exeter courts do direct access barristers cover?
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Direct access counsel cover the Exeter Combined Court Centre at Southernhay Gardens — the County Court at Exeter, the Crown Court at Exeter and the Family Court at Exeter — and the Devon and Cornwall tribunal venues.
How quickly can an Exeter barrister be instructed?
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For urgent injunctions, short-notice FDRs and listed possession hearings counsel can usually be engaged within 24 hours. For non-urgent advice or drafting the BSB client care letter is typically issued within 48–72 hours.
Can I use a direct access barrister for a divorce or FDR in Exeter?
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Yes. Public Access is widely used at the Family Court at Exeter for financial remedy FDRs and final hearings, divorce, Schedule 1 applications and child arrangements.
Do you cover Torbay, Newton Abbot, Barnstaple and North Devon?
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Yes. Exeter counsel routinely appear across Torbay, Newton Abbot, Barnstaple and North Devon hearing centres. We place counsel based on the venue and listing.
What about agricultural, rural property and inheritance work?
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Direct access is well suited to Devon boundary, easement, agricultural holdings, contested probate and 1975 Act claims, all of which are routinely heard at the County Court at Exeter and Torquay.
Are Exeter direct access barristers regulated?
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Yes. Every Public Access barrister we place is regulated by the Bar Standards Board, holds a current practising certificate and carries professional indemnity insurance through BMIF.