What Is Direct Access to a Barrister?
Instructing a barrister directly, without a solicitor in between, is a genuinely different route into legal representation — but it is not the same for every barrister or every case. Here is what it actually means, and the questions worth asking before you choose it.
Direct access (Public Access) lets you instruct a barrister without a solicitor in between. It can mean a more direct relationship and lower overall fees — but a barrister needs specific training to offer it, and a separate authorisation before they can handle the formal litigation side of a case themselves.
How Direct Access Differs From Instructing a Solicitor First
Traditionally, a member of the public instructs a solicitor, who manages the case day to day and instructs a barrister for advocacy or specialist advice when needed. Direct access removes that layer: you instruct the barrister yourself, and deal with them directly throughout.
What a Barrister Needs Before Offering Direct Access
A barrister cannot simply decide to accept public instructions. Under Bar Standards Board rules, they must first:
- Complete accredited Public Access training covering the regulatory requirements, client communication, and case management involved in acting without a solicitor
- Register that qualification with the Bar Standards Board
The Detail Most People Don't Ask About: Litigation
Public Access registration on its own does not give a barrister the right to conduct litigation — the formal work of issuing court proceedings and corresponding with the other side as your legal representative of record. That requires a separate litigation extension to their practising certificate. Without it, those specific steps would fall to you or to a solicitor working alongside the barrister, even though the barrister is advising and advocating for you throughout. This is the single most important question to ask before instructing any barrister directly.
Questions Worth Asking Before You Instruct Anyone Directly
- Have you completed Public Access training and registered with the Bar Standards Board to accept instructions directly from the public?
- Do you hold a litigation extension to your practising certificate, or will I (or a solicitor) need to handle formal litigation steps like issuing court proceedings?
- If you don't conduct litigation yourself, what exactly will I be responsible for managing during my case?
- What areas of work are you able to take on a direct access basis, and are there any parts of my case that would need a solicitor regardless?
Any specialist barrister offering direct access should be able to answer these clearly and without hesitation. If you're not getting straight answers, that is itself useful information.
Ask Us These Questions Directly
A free, confidential conversation is the right place to ask exactly how we work, what we handle, and what — if anything — you would need to manage yourself.