Find the right barrister.
Clerk&Counsel is a modern clerking agency, not a chambers. We match clients and solicitors with independent, BSB-regulated barristers across England and Wales.
Finding a barrister in England and Wales used to mean ringing round chambers, waiting for clerks to return calls and comparing fee notes that arrived days apart. Clerk&Counsel does it differently. We keep a curated panel of self-employed barristers, each with their own practising certificate and professional indemnity insurance, and we act as a single point of contact.
Whether you need advice before a dispute escalates, a one-off hearing, or full trial representation, we can source the right counsel, agree a fixed fee or hourly rate in writing, and handle the paperwork. You do not pay us to use the service; our fees are paid by the barrister as part of their agreed fee.
Instruct a barrister directly
Under the Public Access scheme, regulated by the Bar Council, members of the public can instruct a barrister without going through a solicitor. The barrister must be qualified for public access work, and you can check their registration on the Bar Council access portal. Direct access is usually faster and more cost-effective for advice, drafting, conferences and most hearings.
Instruct via a solicitor
If you already have a solicitor, they can brief a barrister through us. We also work with clients who need a solicitor first, for example when heavy disclosure, case management or on-the-record conduct is required. The clerk will advise honestly if your matter needs a solicitor before counsel can be instructed.
Barristers for hearings, advice and litigation
Attending hearings
We can supply barristers for simply attending hearings, case management, interim applications, trials and appeals. This works for both direct access clients and for cases run by a solicitor.
Direct access and solicitor instructed
The same panel of barristers is available either way. Whether you are a member of the public, a business, or a law firm, we can match the right counsel to the matter and the budget.
Conduct litigation
Some barristers on our panel are authorised to conduct litigation. They can file proceedings, manage disclosure, correspond with the court and other parties, and run the case from start to finish without a solicitor.
Types of barristers we can find for you
Contract, debt, fraud, shareholder and business disputes.
Construction →TCC disputes, JCT, NEC, FIDIC and adjudication.
Employment →Tribunal claims, unfair dismissal, discrimination and EAT appeals.
Family Law →Divorce, financial remedy, child arrangements and private children.
Criminal Defence →Crown Court, Magistrates' Court, fraud and regulatory matters.
Property →Landlord and tenant, boundary disputes and possession claims.
Contentious Probate →Will disputes, inheritance claims and executor removal.
Tax & VAT →HMRC enquiries, tax tribunal appeals and VAT disputes.
Civil Litigation →County Court, contract, debt, small claims and general civil work.
Professional Discipline →SRA, GMC, NMC, GDC and regulator tribunals.
Inquests →Coroner's court, Article 2, jury inquests and deaths in custody.
Immigration →Asylum, appeals, judicial review and immigration tribunals.
Three steps to instructing counsel
Send a brief
Tell us the practice area, the facts, the court or tribunal, and the dates that matter. Attach documents if you have them.
We shortlist
A clerk identifies suitable barristers, confirms availability, runs a conflict check and comes back with fixed fees or hourly rates.
Instruct
Engagement letter signed, fee agreed, and the barrister is briefed. We handle the admin so you can focus on the case.
Every barrister is individually regulated by the Bar Standards Board in England and Wales and carries their own professional indemnity insurance.
Where possible, we agree a fixed fee in writing before you instruct, so the cost of advice, a hearing or a trial is clear from the outset.
If a matter is not suitable for direct access, we will say so and help you instruct a solicitor first.