Public Access barristers in Manchester.
Instruct a Public Access barrister in Manchester directly, without a solicitor, for advice, drafting and advocacy at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre, the Family Court at Manchester and North West tribunals.
Manchester is the busiest legal centre outside London and the hub of the Northern Circuit. Its specialist Business and Property Courts, large Family Court and regional tribunals mean that complex, high value cases are routinely heard in the city rather than sent south.
Our Manchester Public Access clients are typically business owners in contract or shareholder disputes, families in contested financial remedy or children cases, landlords and property owners, and employees facing a tribunal claim. They want expert advocacy close to home and a fee they can plan around.
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 Manchester 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 Manchester Public Access cases are heard.
The Manchester Civil Justice Centre on Bridge Street West houses the County Court at Manchester, the Family Court at Manchester and the Business and Property Courts in Manchester, including the Chancery and Commercial lists. Manchester Crown Court sits at Minshull Street and Crown Square.
Employment Tribunal hearings take place at Alexandra House on Parsonage, and property disputes go to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) Northern region. Nearby County and Family Courts at Stockport, Bolton, Oldham and Tameside also see regular Public Access work.
What Manchester clients instruct Public Access counsel for.
- Commercial, contract and shareholder disputes in the Business and Property Courts.
- Financial remedy and child arrangements at the Family Court at Manchester.
- TOLATA, boundary and landlord and tenant claims.
- Employment Tribunal claims at Alexandra House.
- Contentious probate and Inheritance Act claims.
- Appeals and applications in the County Court.
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 Manchester, 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.
Specialist areas within this practice.
Tell us about your Manchester 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 Manchester?
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 Manchester and Greater Manchester and the North West, without a solicitor acting in between.
How much does a Public Access barrister cost in Manchester?
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.
Can a Manchester Public Access barrister handle a High Court case?
Yes. The Business and Property Courts in Manchester hear High Court chancery and commercial claims, and many Manchester barristers regularly appear there. For document heavy High Court cases counsel may recommend a solicitor alongside, and will say so at the outset.
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.