The role of a Barristers Clerk
In this special episode we are joined by three guests.\xa0 William Harris, who was a barristers\u2019 clerk for 35 years, with 25 years of those being as a Senior Clerk at a London set of chambers. Also, Poppy Maddison and Kazia Myrie, who are both Assistant Practice Managers at 15 New Bridge Street Chambers \u2013 a barristers set in London working in the area of criminal law.
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Our guests begin by outlining what the role of a barristers\u2019 clerk is, and the varied roles and responsibilities.\xa0 The need to be able to manage a complex series of relationships, both externally and internally, is highlighted \u2013 and also the need, above all, to keep calm under pressure given the fast-moving nature of a chamber\u2019s business.\xa0 Kazia, Poppy and William all talk about the skills needed for the clerking role: an ability to manage the group of barristers in chambers, the flows of potential cases for them, and how they needed often to think about the strengths and career goals of different barristers to guide their decisions as a clerk in terms of which barristers should be offered different cases.\xa0 Changes in the work of clerks, with the move to digital records and paperwork, is also described.
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The career progression of a clerk is discussed, and also the increasing amount of management work which now takes place in a barrister\u2019s chambers, and how the clerk has become a key person in this activity.\xa0 Skill-sets to succeed in the clerking role are highlighted, including the importance of staying calm, and the critical need to be able to build relationships with both senior and junior colleagues, and court administrators.\xa0 The impact of clerks doing all these tasks well is described, showing how this allows your chamber\u2019s barristers to maximise earnings from a case, and can remove the administrative load from barristers themselves, thus enabling them to focus on their advocacy.
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We are extremely grateful to the generous sponsorship of BPP University and International Law Firm CMS which makes the continued production of the podcast possible.
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Actions and resources for listeners:
\xb7\xa0 \xa0 \xa0 \xa0 \xa0Do an internet search for a barristers\u2019 chambers.\xa0 Pick a chambers and look at the clerking or Practice Manager roles listed there.
\xb7\xa0 \xa0 \xa0 \xa0 \xa0Look at the website for the Institute for Barristers\u2019 Clerks, in particular the compliance obligations of clerks.\xa0 What does that tell you about the role, and how this might match your skills and strengths?