Public Access barristers in London.
Instruct a Public Access barrister in London directly, without a solicitor, for advice, drafting and advocacy in the Royal Courts of Justice, the Rolls Building, the Central Family Court and London's County Courts.
London has the largest concentration of barristers in the country, which is both an advantage and a problem. There is a specialist for almost every kind of dispute, but finding the right one, at the right level of seniority and at a fee that is proportionate to your case, can take time you do not have.
Our London Public Access clients tend to be individuals and businesses with serious matters: a contested financial remedy at the Central Family Court, a commercial claim in the Business and Property Courts, a property dispute over a high value home, or a professional regulatory hearing. They want specialist counsel without paying for a solicitor's file alongside.
Clerk&Counsel is an intermediary and clerking service. We do not provide legal advice or legal representation ourselves. We identify independent Public Access barristers regulated by the Bar Standards Board who have the right expertise for your London matter, confirm their availability and bring you a clear fee before anything is agreed. The barrister you choose is responsible for the legal services they provide.
Where London Public Access cases are heard.
High value civil and chancery work is heard at the Royal Courts of Justice on the Strand and the Rolls Building on Fetter Lane, home to the Business and Property Courts. The Central London County Court at the Royal Courts of Justice deals with a large volume of contract, property and personal injury claims.
Family matters are heard at the Central Family Court on High Holborn and at the East London and West London Family Courts, with financial remedy work increasingly concentrated in the London Financial Remedies Court. Tribunal work is spread across London Central, London South and East London Employment Tribunals and the Property Chamber at Alfred Place.
What London clients instruct Public Access counsel for.
- Financial remedy advice, FDRs and final hearings at the Central Family Court.
- Commercial and contract claims in the Business and Property Courts.
- Property, TOLATA, leasehold and service charge disputes.
- Employment Tribunal claims for senior employees and business owners.
- Inheritance Act and will validity claims.
- Professional regulatory and disciplinary hearings.
How the Public Access scheme works in practice.
Since 2004 barristers who complete the Bar Standards Board's Public Access training have been able to accept work directly from members of the public. The barrister can give written or oral advice, draft letters, statements of case, witness statements and skeleton arguments, negotiate with the other side and represent you at hearings, mediations and trials.
Most Public Access barristers cannot conduct litigation, so you handle the administrative steps of issuing, filing and serving documents yourself, with clear instructions from counsel. Barristers also cannot hold client money, so fees are paid directly to the barrister or chambers under a written client care letter.
Before accepting your case the barrister must consider whether it is in your interests, and the interests of justice, to proceed without a solicitor. If the case genuinely needs one, for heavy disclosure or many witnesses, they will say so at the outset.
From enquiry to barrister, usually within days.
Send us a short outline of the problem, any hearing date or deadline and the key documents. We shortlist suitable counsel for London, confirm availability and obtain a fee for the specific work you need. The barrister then carries out a suitability and conflict check and sends a client care letter setting out scope, fee and timing.
For urgent work such as injunctions or a hearing listed at short notice, counsel can often be identified within 24 hours. Non urgent advice usually follows a signed client care letter within two to three working days.
Fixed fees, agreed before work starts.
Public Access fees are normally fixed per task. A day of court attendance by experienced counsel in most civil and family matters starts from around £1,000, with longer hearings quoted as a brief fee plus refreshers. Because you pay one professional rather than a solicitor and a barrister, the overall cost is often substantially lower.
Clerk&Counsel's service fee of up to £150 depending on urgency is shown separately from the barrister's professional fee before you decide. There is no charge to make an enquiry.
Tell us about your London matter.
Send a short outline and any hearing dates. We will come back with Public Access counsel options and a clear fee.
Common questions.
What is a Public Access barrister in London?
A Public Access barrister is a self employed barrister who has completed the Bar Standards Board Public Access training and can take instructions directly from individuals and businesses in London and Greater London and the South East, without a solicitor acting in between.
How much does a Public Access barrister cost in London?
Written advice and drafting are quoted as fixed fees against the papers. A day of court attendance by experienced counsel in most civil and family matters starts from around £1,000. Every fee is set out in a client care letter before any work starts.
Do London Public Access barristers charge more?
Fees in London are often higher for senior counsel, particularly in commercial and chancery work, but there is a wide range. We match you to counsel whose seniority fits the value and complexity of the case, so you are not paying for more experience than the matter needs.
Will I still need to file documents myself?
Usually yes. Most Public Access barristers are not authorised to conduct litigation, so you remain a litigant in person for issuing, filing and serving documents. The barrister tells you exactly what to file and when, and drafts the documents for you.
Does Clerk&Counsel charge me to make an enquiry?
No. Enquiries are free. If you instruct a barrister through us, a Clerk&Counsel service fee of up to £150 depending on urgency applies, shown separately from the barrister's professional fee before you decide.