What are the different types of lawyer?
updated on 02 September 2024
One of the key questions to ask yourself is what type of lawyer you want to be. For many, that’ll mean deciding between becoming a solicitor (private practice or in-house) or a barrister. For others, the option to ‘earn while you learn’ as a CILEX Lawyer will appeal.
Simply put, a barrister appears in court, while a solicitor/CILEX Lawyer works in a law firm. All three are ‘lawyers’. However, there are key differences. The stereotype is that barristers are individualists while solicitors/CILEX Lawyers are team players. While it’s true that a barrister is almost always self-employed and a solicitor/CILEX Lawyer may work in a law firm or business of thousands of people, the reality is more complicated. Barristers often work with each other and with solicitors, and some solicitors/CILEX Lawyers spend many hours on their own drafting documents.
Becoming a solicitor usually takes around six years if studying full time, while becoming a barrister takes around five years – these routes will take slightly longer if you study a non-law degree, followed by a law conversion.
Deciding which career path would suit you best could be a challenge – factors to bear in mind include your school grades, key interests and career aspirations. Below is a brief guide with some key facts that may help you to decide which branch is best suited to you, including the number of practising lawyers and an overview of some of the profession’s diversity stats and salaries.
For more information on diversity in the legal profession, visit LawCareers.Net’s Diversity hub, sponsored by Gowling WLG (UK) LLP.
| Solicitors | Barristers | Chartered legal executives |
|---|---|---|
|
As of May 2024, there were 206,454 practising solicitors. |
In 2023, there were 17,782 practising barristers. Of those, 14,158 were self-employed. |
There are more than 17,000 CILEX members – 70% of which are employed at top 200 law firms. |
|
More than 60% of solicitors attended a state school, while 21% attended independent/fee-paying schools. |
In 2023, 19.4% of barristers attended an independent/fee-paying school in the UK, compared to just 6.5% of school children in England. |
CILEX reports that 70% of its members attended a state school, while just 5% attended an independent/fee-paying school. |
|
People from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds make up 19% of all solicitors, and 17% at partner level. |
People from ethnic minority backgrounds make up 16.9% of all practising barristers. |
People from ethnic minority backgrounds make up around 17% of all CILEX members. |
|
Mostly employed in private law firms or in-house, so receive a regular monthly salary. |
Mostly self-employed, so receive irregular (but often substantial) fees. |
Mostly employed in private law firms or in-house, so receive a regular monthly salary. |
| Work mainly with individuals, companies and barristers. | Work mainly with solicitors and other barristers. | Work mainly with solicitors and individuals. |
|
Office-based, although have some rights of audience (ie, can appear in court like barristers). Engage more in ongoing advisory and one-to one client work. |
Chambers and court-based. Engage more in one-off advocacy (ie, court cases). |
Office-based, although have some of the same rights of audience as solicitors. Engage more in ongoing advisory and one-to-one client work. |
|
Some solicitors aspire to become partner – that is, part ownership of firm and entitlement to a percentage of its profits. |
Aspire to become King's Counsel – a top barrister, normally instructed in serious and complex cases. | Should they choose to do so, legal executives can go on to become coroners, judges or partners. |
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Trainee salaries vary widely. A small firm could pay first-year trainees around £22,000. Trainees at regional firms earn around £27,000 while City firms pay from £35,000 to as much as £65,000 for second-year trainees. |
As of 1 January 2024, all pupil barristers must be paid a minimum of £21,060 (outside London) or £23,078 (in London). Many earn much more – upwards of £50,000 in some cases. |
Starting salaries are usually between £15,000 and £28,000 per year while qualifying, while qualified chartered legal executives can expect to earn between £35,000 and £55,000, and can earn much higher. |
