Legal Profession in the United Kingdom

1.

Federal State Treasury Educational Institution
of Higher Education
«Saint Petersburg Academy of the Investigative
Committee of the Russian Federation»
Legal Profession in the
United Kingdom

2.

Essential words and phrases:
Legal profession
[prəˈfeʃən]
To qualify as a lawyer
[ˈkwɔlɪfaɪ] [ˈlɔːjə]
Solicitor
[səˈlɪsɪtə]
Barrister
[ˈbærɪstə]
Magistrates’ Court
[ˈmæʤɪstreɪt kɔːt]
County Court
To recover debts
[ˈkauntɪ] [kɔ:t]
Профессия
юриста/адвоката,
юридическая
профессия
Получить
квалификацию
юриста
Солиситор, адвокат,
поверенный
Барристер, адвокат,
имеющий право
выступать в высших
судах
Магистратский суд,
мировой суд
Суд графства
Взыскивать долги

3.

To present a case in
the higher court
Litigation
[ˌlɪtɪˈɡeɪʃən]
Counsel
[ˈkaunsəl]
To draft a contract
[drɑːft] [ˈkɔntrækt]
To draw up a will
To be salaried
Private law
[ˈsælərɪd]
Advocacy
[ˈpraɪvɪt] [lɔ:]
[ˈædvəkəsɪ]
To form a partnership
[ˈpɑ:tnəʃɪp]
Представлять дело в
вышестоящем суде
Процесс, судебный
спор, тяжба
1) Участвующий в
деле адвокат
2) Барристер
Составлять контракт
Составлять, оформлять
завещание
Получать жалование
Частное право
Защита в суде,
адвокатура
Создавать
партнерство,

4.

Иметь частную практику
To be selfemployed
Chamber
[ˈʧeɪmbə]
Адвокатская контора
The Bar
[bɑː]
Коллегия адвокатов
The Inn of Court
[ɪn] [kɔ:t]
Школа подготовки барристов
Circuit
[ˈsɜːkɪt]
1) Судебный округ; 2)
выездная сессия суда
In-house lawyer
[ɪn-haʊs] [ˈlɔːjə]
Юрист, работающий в
компании
Right of audience [raɪt] [ˈɔːdjəns]
Lord Chancellor
[lɔːd] [ˈʧɑːnsələ]
Право выступать в суде
Лорд-канцлер (член кабинета
министров, спикер палаты
лордов)

5.

Most countries do not have a definite division among lawyers; a
person will qualify as a lawyer though it will be possible after
qualifying to specialize in one particular area of law. The general
term "lawyer" covers anyone who has been trained in the law
and certified to give legal advice. In England and Wales there
are two types of lawyers, solicitors and barristers. The nature of
the legal profession, the people who become lawyers, the way
they are organized, their manner of practice, and the traditions
they observe have a profound effect on the legal system of
Great Britain.

6.

The solicitor is the first point of contact with the law for a client in the
UK. The solicitor listens carefully to the client, making sure their needs
are clearly understood and then explains the legal position and gives
advice. The solicitor deals with a great number of problems. He can
represent his client in the Magistrates' Court dealing with petty crimes
and in the County Court when the case deals with some family law
matters or with recovering debts. He prepares the case and the
evidence and actually speaks for his client but he cannot appear in
every court. There are only a few solicitors who are allowed to present
cases in the higher courts.

7.

However if a solicitor wants to specialize in advocacy
and have an unlimited right to appear as an advocate
in all courts he must get a certificate in advocacy.
Many more solicitors work in their litigation
departments and spend much of their time preparing
brief for counsel. Traditionally, they also undertake
legal work out of court involving drafting contracts or
drawing up wills or dealing with documents for
buying or selling a house or other property.

8.

Solicitors normally form partnerships with other
solicitors and work in offices. They are normally
salaried and may be offered a share in the profits of
the practice if they are successful. Solicitors do a
variety of work dealing with corporate and
commercial spheres, litigation, property, private law,
banking and finance, employment law and
environmental law.

9.

The qualification and practice of solicitors
are regulated by the Law Society. In 2012 in
England and Wales there were 120,202
solicitors with practicing certificates, and
the number is increasing every year.

10.

By contrast, barristers will only see the client in the
company of a briefing solicitor. The barrister is the
specialist with particular skills in advocacy, a consultant
who will examine the case and decide what line to take in
court. The barrister will rely on the detailed brief prepared
by the client's solicitor. He is also an expert in the
interpretation of law. The barrister's main work is to
represent his client in the court where they are referred to
as counsel, to draft documents associated with court
procedure, and to give opinions about the legal matter.

11.

solicitors, barristers can't form partnerships. They are
self-employed working in groups called chambers or practice
at the Bar. In 2012 there were 15,204 practicing barristers in
over 400 chambers in England and Wales. Chambers are
traditionally located in the four Inns of Court in London –
Gray’s Inn, Lincoln’s Inn, Middle Temple and Inner Temple –
and are also located in the UK regions, known as circuits.
Unlike

12.

In addition, over 3,300 barristers are employed in
companies as in-house lawyers, or by local or national
government or in academic institutions. The Bar is an
advocacy profession. The Bar’s right of audience in the
higher courts remains unchallenged. The work is
divided equally between civil and criminal law. There
are over 70 specialist areas, including major ones like
property, finance and commerce. Barristers are
governed by the Bar Council and the Inns of Court.

13.

To become a judge the candidate must meet certain
requirements laid down by an Act of Parliament. One of them is
the candidate must have practiced as a lawyer or judge for a
definite period of time. There are also other requirements for
specific judicial offices. The experience gained as a judge in a
lower court is one of the qualifications for appointment to a
higher court. Senior appointments to the Court of Appeal and the
High Court are made by the Queen on the recommendation of
the Prime Minister, currently on the advice of the Lord Chancellor
who is a senior member of the government and head of the
judicial system.

14.

Questions
1. What kind of problems does a solicitor
deal with?
2. What duties to the client and to the court
do solicitors have?
3. How do you qualify as a solicitor?
4. What are barristers experts in?
5. What is necessary to qualify as a
barrister?
6. What is the usual way to become a
judge?

15.

Exercise 1
Give the words\phrases to the following
definitions
1) a lawyer who gives advice to his clients and
prepares documents
2) an official who is chosen from the most senior
barristers and presides over a court
3) a lawyer who specializes in presenting cases in
court and has the right of audience
4) to work independently for clients
5) to have a skill of pleading a case before the
court
6)to give the barrister all the details of the case
which he will argue in court

16.

Exercise 2
Give English equivalents using your active
vocabulary
Судебное преследование; представлять
интересы клиента в суде; правовой вопрос;
специализироваться в гражданском праве;
детальное письменное изложение дела; давать
консультации по составлению завещания;
юрист, постоянно работающий в компании;
доказательства, представленные полицией;
несущий ответственность; предъявлять
судебный иск; нарушение закона; признавать
себя виновным; средство судебной защиты;
заниматься частной практикой; нарушать закон.

17.

Exercise 3
Fill in the gaps with prepositions (in, to, of, as, on)
1) to qualify … a lawyer
2) to rely … the detailed brief
3) to get a certificate … advocacy
4) to have the right … audience
5) to be offered a share … profits
6) to be appointed … the recommendation of the
Prime Minister
7) to have skills … advocacy
8) to listen … the client
9) to specialize … law
10) to be an expert … the interpretation of law

18.

Exercise 4
Read the text and choose the appropriate word or word
combination from the box to fill in the gaps
Solicitors, to specialize in, qualified, have the right of audience,
division, a partnership, represent their clients, barristers, a judge,
self-employed, practice, appear in court, areas of law, training
contract, advocacy
There are two types of lawyers who (1) … in England. They
are called (2) … and solicitors. In the USA and most other
countries, lawyers don’t make this (3) … - a lawyer is
simply known as an attorney at law, or an attorney.
Both in England and the USA, it is not possible to take a
special exam to be (4) … . To become a judge, it is
necessary to get a lot of experience as a lawyer first, and
then apply to be a judge and wait to see if you are chosen.

19.

Most law students in England become (5) … . When they finish their
university studies they do a one-year legal practice course and then a
two-year (6) … with a law firm. After that, they are (7) … as solicitors.
Many solicitors work for a legal practice, which is usually (8) … of
solicitors who work together. Solicitors practice in many (9) …
although each solicitor usually chooses (10) … one particular area.
They (11) … both in and out of court.
Barristers are (12) … lawyers and don’t work in partnerships in the
way solicitors do. They are experts in (13) …, which is the skill of
speaking for someone in court. They also give opinions on areas of
law to solicitors and their clients. It is not just barristers who (14) …
in court – solicitors are also allowed to represent their clients in
certain types of courts and many solicitors (15) … every day.

20.

Exercise 5
Read the text again and decide whether you agree or
disagree with the following statements. Correct the
false ones.
1. There are two types of lawyers practicing in England.
2. To become a judge it is necessary to pass special
qualification exams.
3. Only barristers can speak on behalf of their clients in
court.
4. Each solicitor prefers to become an expert in a
particular branch of law.
5. Many solicitors work together in partnerships but
barristers don’t.
6. In the USA and England lawyers can take a special
exam to be a judge.

21.

Exercise 6
Choose the phrase which best completes each
statement.
1. In most countries a person is referred to as a lawyer if
he…
A) has passed a considerable number of exams in law.
B) is officially qualified to deal with legal matters.
C) works in lawyer’s office but has no official proof that
he has successfully completed the course in law
2. In England a law student chooses between
becoming…
A) a solicitor or a prosecutor.
B) a barrister or a judge
C) a solicitor or a barrister

22.

3. The requirements which barristers and solicitors
must meet are…
A) the same
B) practically the same
C) quite different
4. To become a judge in Great Britain it is necessary…
A) to pass a particular kind of examination
B) to become an experienced lawyer first, and then
apply to be a judge
C) to be enrolled in the list of potential judges
5. The solicitor usually deals with…
A) arguing criminal and civil cases in higher courts
B) presenting cases in any court
C) petty crimes and matrimonial matters

23.

6. Barristers specialize in …
A) representing a case in Magistrates’ Courts
B) pleading a case before the court
C) briefing solicitor
7. A solicitor is allowed to represent his clients in
higher courts…
A) if he gets a certificate in advocacy
B) if he specializes in one particular area of law
C) if he is a member of the Law Society
8. Barristers who are asked by solicitors to act for
them in a case…
A) are employed by the Law Society
B) render legal assistance voluntarily
C) cannot be employed directly by clients

24.

9. A future solicitor is required…
A) to have a two-year training period
B) to work as a clerk for five years
C) to get a licence to start his own practice
10. A barrister must work for a year as…
A) a trainee
B) a pupil
C) a managing clerk

25.

Federal State Treasury Educational Institution
of Higher Education
«Saint Petersburg Academy of the Investigative
Committee of the Russian Federation»
Prepared by students
of 1 course 181 group: Polina Falina
Natalia Gricuk
Artem Shompolov
Eugene Seregin