Barrister
Advise, represent, and defend clients' interests in court or at a tribunal
Job opportunities
-
Jobs in SEEK right now
Job growth
-
5-year projection
Salary
-
Typical salary
Job satisfaction
-
Job opportunities
-
Jobs in SEEK right now
Salary
-
Typical salary
Job growth
-
5-year projection
Job satisfaction
-
What's it like to be a Barrister?
Barristers specialise in advocacy, which means they are Lawyers who advise, represent and defend clients’ interests in court or at a tribunal. Barristers spend most of their time in court, and are less involved in the daily legal activities of your clients.
Tasks and duties
- Representing clients in court and appearing in trials.
- Acting on behalf of a client during a criminal case in front of a jury and a judge.
- Handling court applications.
- In advance of a hearing, handling discussions with the court staff, your opposing counsel and your client to ensure the smooth running of the hearing.
- Providing specialty advice on legal matters.
- Assisting a Solicitor with the drafting of court documents.
- Conducting engaging arguments in court.
Barristers typically work as independent practitioners. Many specialise in particular areas of law, such as Commercial Law, Criminal Law, Family Law and Common Law, although some may have a more general practice covering a variety of areas.
How to become a Barrister
To be eligible to practise as a Barrister in Australia, you must become a qualified Lawyer by completing a Bachelor of Laws degree. You must then qualify for and complete the Bar Readers' Course in your relevant state.
- Complete a Bachelor of Laws degree and obtain a practicing certificate.
- Pass the Entrance Examination set by the Australian Bar association to qualify for a place in the Readers' Course in your relevant state or territory.
- Satisfactorily complete the 9- to 10-week Readers' Course. This is a course in advocacy, skills, ethics and rules.
- Work under an approved mentor at the Bar for 9 months, inclusive of the Readers' Course period.
- Become a member of the Australian Bar Association.
Latest Barrister jobs on SEEK
Be one of the first to discover these recently listed jobs, or browse all Barrister jobs on SEEK right now.
Did you find this helpful?
Skills and experience employers are looking for
Having the right skills and experience can make you an in-demand applicant. Barrister employers on SEEK are looking for job seekers with expertise in the following areas.
Source: SEEK job ads and SEEK Profile data
Did you find this helpful?
Latest Barrister reviews
Feb 2024
Experience
5 – 9 years
Organisation size
Small (1-19 employees)
The good things
The social side, being able to meet and interact with various people of many walks of life
The challenges
Not consistent hours as peak times vary throughout the year
Read more
Source: SEEK role reviews
SEEK has not verified the truth or accuracy of these comments and does not adopt or endorse any of the comments posted on this page.SEEK collects and posts the comments for what they are worth and for information purposes only to assist candidates to find employment through seek.com.au
Subscribe to Career Advice
Get expert career advice delivered to your inbox.
You can cancel emails at any time. By clicking ‘subscribe’ you agree to SEEK’s Privacy Statement.