English This is a brief explanation of the English legal system for non-lawyers and international visitors. E-mail me if you have any comments. Solicitors Solicitors are the general practitioners of the English legal system. If you need legal advice, you visit a solicitor first. If you need an advocate in court or the solicitor does not have sufficient specialist knowledge about the relevant area of law, the solicitor will normally ask a barrister to take on the advocacy or to advise further.
Most solicitors work together in partnerships.
Training consists of one year at a law school, two years paid placement in a solicitor's office and a minimum amount of continuing professional education each year. Solicitors are regulated by The Law Society . Barristers Barristers are the consultants of the English legal system. They are the only ones allowed to appear in the appeal courts and in most cases in the High Court. Most specialise in particular areas of the law such as Crime, Family or Personal Injury.