Barristers squeezed by fall in income

Posted By: James

Monday 23rd June 2014

The FT’s Caroline Bingham reports on figures from HMRC that suggest barristers’ incomes have fallen by 12% in two years. The figures are mean averages for all types of barristers and show average income in 2012 stood at £108,000, compared with £123,000 in 2010. However, Sarah Forshaw QC, leader of the South Eastern Circuit, said: “There is a division between those at the commercial bar and those specialising in criminal work whose income would be nothing like this sum. Some of the younger members of the Bar have even talked about giving up altogether as they can get as little as £47.50 a day for attending court.” The number of barristers also increased over the period by 19%, from 11,000 in 2010 to 13,000 in 2012, according to the figures, adding to the strain caused by the Government’s cuts to the legal aid budget. Separately, the Telegraph points out that the number of women representing themselves in court in child contact and custody cases has risen by two thirds since legal aid reforms were introduced. Elsewhere, the Herald reports on concerns voiced by lawyers and unions that the introduction of fees for employment tribunals are denying workers access to justice. Employment tribunals accepted in Scotland fell by 68% between August 2013 and March 2014 on the same period a year earlier.

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