Gold Coast and Brisbane Personal Injury Lawyers explain the difference between lawyers, solicitors and barristers in Qld
We’re often asked the difference between a lawyer, solicitor and a barrister. Firstly, solicitors and barristers are all lawyers. A “Lawyer” is someone who practices or studies law, and in Queensland, this includes both solicitors and barristers. However, reference to a “lawyer” in Queensland, is usually reference to a solicitor rather than a barrister.
Another term used to refer to a lawyer is “attorney”. However, this terminology is rarely used in Queensland or Australia, but is most commonly used in the American legal system.
The Difference Between Solicitors and Barristers in Queensland
In Queensland, barristers are also referred to as “Legal Counsel” or “Counsel” and whereas a solicitor is engaged by the client to handle a case, a barrister is usually engaged by a solicitor to appear or advise on behalf of their client in a case. When a barrister is engaged by a solicitor on a legal matter, this is termed, “briefing Counsel”.
The difference between a solicitor & barrister is legal work they perform and their legal training. A solicitor will deal more with the client, obtaining their client’s information and instruction, initially assessing the case & running the claim. A barrister has less involvement with the client in a legal case. A barrister takes instruction from their instructing solicitor. And whereas a solicitor will do more of the “leg work” in preparing a case, it’s a barrister who the solicitor will turn to for advice on the more intricate legal aspects of a case.
Why Barristers are Usually Engaged by Solicitors in a Personal Injury Claim
These legal aspects of a case include providing Counsel’s advices on such things as liability (who was at fault), quantum (how much compensation should be paid for the claim), prospects of succeeding in the case, what evidence is needed to support a claim at trial, as well as advising on a point of law, such as a cause of action or legislative interpretation.
In Queensland, although solicitors have the right of appearance, barristers are usually engaged to appear on Court hearings and trials. The reason for this, is because it is a barrister’s forte. They are specifically trained in litigious advocacy & the intricacies of trial procedure & legal argument.
A Good Personal Injury Lawyer will Know the Best Barristers to Engage on Your Personal Injury Claim
Like most solicitors, it is usual for barristers to specialise in certain areas of the law. For instance, No Win No Fee Personal Injury Lawyers specialise in the law of accident & injury compensation in Queensland, or personal injury law. Similarly, there are barristers who also specialise in this area of law.
It’s important to have the right barrister for your case, to achieve the best outcome for your personal injury claim. It’s a complex area of law, fraught with complex legislation that must be complied with. You need personal injury solicitors with a full understanding of this legislation to achieve your optimal compensation payment.
A good personal injury lawyer or solicitor, will know the best barristers, or legal Counsel, to engage on your case. This type of expertise is only gleaned from years of experience handling personal injury claims and having an expert understanding of the law of accident and injury compensation in Queensland.
No Win No Fee PI Lawyers are Experts in Personal Injury Law & Will Ensure You Have the Best Legal Counsel For Your Case
No Win No Fee PI Lawyers specialise in personal injury law and accident and injury compensation claims. Through long experience running personal injury claims, we’ve developed relationships with the best and most respected personal injury barristers. Where appropriate, we engage these barristers to advise and represent you, to achieve the best possible outcome for your case.
If you’re injured and looking for the best legal representation for your personal injury claim, please give us a call. Let us advise you about your case and how to achieve your best possible claim result.
So call us on 1300 388 383, email us on admin@nowinnofeepilawyers.com.au or submit one of our request forms for a FREE Instant Case Appraisal or FREE callback or consultation, all with a Senior Personal Injury Lawyer. There is absolutely NO COST TO YOU , it’s totally confidential and without obligation.
No Win No Fee Lawyers Servicing all of QLD with Offices in Brisbane City and Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast
No Win No Fee PI Lawyers provide their legal services throughout Queensland. We can run your claim for you no matter where you are in Queensland, using phone, email and post. We’re also more than happy to meet with you in person to discuss your case, if you’d prefer this.
We are Gold Coast and Brisbane Personal Injury Lawyers, with offices situated in Brisbane City and Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast and we have visited offices organised throughout Queensland where we can meet with you.
If you would like to learn more about solicitors and barristers, or perhaps you are interested in becoming a Queensland lawyer, then a visit to the website of the Queensland Law Society may be of interest to you.
If you are interested in learning more about Queensland barristers, or in “going to the bar” and becoming a barrister, then go to the following link for the website of the Queensland Bar Association which will provide you with information on this subject.