Meet Sam - Your Expert Barrister's Clerk
Barristers' Chambers London
Senior Consultant Clerk — Over 30 Years' Experience
Looking for barristers' chambers in London, suitable counsel for a client, or a barrister for a Direct Access matter?
Direct Access Barristers provides a professional consultant clerking service, assisting solicitors, businesses and members of the public with enquiries concerning barristers and legal representation.
Our Senior Consultant Clerk has over 30 years' experience working within the Bar and across seven barristers' chambers, providing extensive practical experience of barristers, chambers, clerking, practice areas, availability and the process of instructing counsel.
Solicitor Instructions Accepted
We accept instructions and enquiries from solicitors who require suitable counsel for their clients.
We also assist members of the public and businesses seeking appropriately authorised barristers, including enquiries concerning Direct Access and Public Access.
We Are Not a Barristers' Chambers
It is important to be clear about our role.
Direct Access Barristers is not itself a barristers' chambers and is not a law firm.
We are an independent professional clerking service. The barristers with whom we work remain independent practitioners and are responsible for deciding whether to accept an instruction and for the legal services they provide.
Our role is to provide experienced clerking support and assist with the practical process of identifying, contacting and instructing appropriate counsel.
Our Approach - Tailored To You
Barristers' Chambers in London
London has one of the UK's largest and most diverse legal markets, with barristers practising across a wide range of specialist areas.
Barristers may practise from chambers, where they remain independent practitioners while sharing professional clerking and administrative arrangements.
For solicitors, finding the right counsel can sometimes require more than simply locating a barrister who practises in the relevant area.
Considerations can include:
- The precise area of law
- The complexity of the matter
- The barrister's experience
- The level of seniority required
- The nature of the hearing
- The court or tribunal
- Availability
- Urgency
- The client's requirements
- Whether the barrister accepts the proposed instruction
- The appropriate fee structure
Our Senior Consultant Clerk's experience across seven chambers provides practical knowledge of these considerations.
Why Solicitors Use Experienced Clerking
A solicitor may already know the area of law but require assistance identifying suitable counsel.
Our role can include considering:
- The nature and complexity of the case
- The specialist expertise required
- The seniority of counsel required
- The hearing or conference date
- The location
- The urgency
- The documents or papers involved
- The client's requirements
- The proposed scope of instruction
We aim to make the enquiry and instruction process as straightforward and professional as possible.
Need Counsel for Your Client?
If you are a solicitor looking for a barrister, contact our Senior Consultant Clerk, Sam Morgan with details of the matter.
Where possible, please provide:
- Area of law
- Brief description of the matter
- Relevant court or tribunal
- Hearing date
- Any important deadline
- Type of work required
- Estimated length of hearing
- Whether the matter is urgent
- Any particular experience or seniority required
Providing this information at the outset can help us understand the type of counsel you are seeking.
We accept instructions from solicitors and professional enquiries concerning counsel.
Direct Access Barristers London
We also assist members of the public and businesses looking to instruct an appropriately authorised barrister directly.
The Direct Access/Public Access scheme can allow eligible clients to instruct a barrister without first instructing a solicitor.
However, not every barrister is authorised to undertake Public Access work and not every case is suitable for Direct Access.
Depending on the individual barrister's authorisations and the circumstances of the case, services may include:
- Legal advice
- Written advice
- Document drafting
- Document review
- Negotiation
- Preparation for hearings
- Advocacy
- Representation
Conducting litigation is a separate issue and should not be assumed simply because a barrister accepts Public Access instructions.
Senior Consultant Clerk — Over 30 Years' Experience
Our Senior Consultant Clerk has over 30 years' experience working within the Bar and experience across seven barristers' chambers.
This provides extensive practical experience of:
- Barristers
- Chambers
- Clerking
- Practice areas
- Counsel selection
- Availability
- Instructions
- Hearings
- Fees
- Client requirements
- Solicitor requirements
Areas of Law
We accept enquiries concerning a range of legal areas, including:
Civil Litigation
Civil disputes, claims, defences, contractual disputes and court proceedings.
Commercial Law
Commercial disputes, contractual matters, business disputes and related litigation.
Family Law
Appropriate family matters involving children, finances and related proceedings.
Employment Law
Employment disputes, contractual issues and Employment Tribunal matters.
Property Law
Property disputes, ownership issues and related matters.
Land Law
Boundary disputes, rights of way, easements and other land-related disputes.
Landlord & Tenant
Residential and commercial landlord and tenant disputes, possession matters and lease issues.
Debt Recovery
Debt disputes, claims for payment and related proceedings.
Insolvency
What Does a Barristers' Chambers Do?
Barristers' chambers provide a professional environment in which self-employed barristers practise.
Chambers may have specialist practice groups covering particular areas of law and professional clerks who assist with enquiries, availability, fees and instructions.
Barristers practising from chambers remain independent practitioners.
Our business should not be confused with a chambers.
Direct Access Barristers is an independent consultant clerking service, providing professional assistance to solicitors, businesses and members of the public seeking appropriate counsel.
Working Across Barristers' Chambers
Our Senior Consultant Clerk has experience working across seven barristers' chambers.
This experience provides an understanding of how professional clerking operates and the practical considerations involved when solicitors and clients are looking to instruct counsel.
We do not publish the names of the chambers with which our Senior Consultant Clerk has worked on this page.
The focus of our service is on providing professional clerking assistance and helping identify appropriate counsel for individual enquiries.
London Barristers for Advice, Drafting & Advocacy
Depending upon the requirements of the matter and the individual barrister's authorisations, counsel may be instructed for:
- Conferences
- Written advice
- Legal opinions
- Drafting
- Reviewing documents
- Negotiations
- Mediation
- Advocacy
- Court hearings
- Tribunal hearings
- Appeals
For solicitor instructions, the scope of work should be agreed between the solicitor, client and barrister as appropriate.
For Direct Access clients, the barrister should explain the scope and limitations of the service before instruction
Terms and Payment
All terms of engagement, scope of work and applicable fees are agreed in advance before work commences.
Payment arrangements are also agreed in advance.
Where a barrister is instructed, the barrister's own terms of business and fees will apply to the legal services provided.
Any additional work or change to the agreed scope of work will be discussed and agreed before that additional work is undertaken.
Legal Aid
We do not undertake Legal Aid work.
Our services and the barristers instructed through our service are provided on a privately funded basis, subject to the individual barrister's terms and acceptance of the instruction.
Why Use a Senior Consultant Clerk?
Solicitors and clients often need more than a directory listing when looking for counsel.
Our Senior Consultant Clerk provides practical experience gained over more than 30 years within the Bar and across seven barristers' chambers.
We understand the importance of:
The right expertise.
The right level of experience.
The right availability.
The right scope of instruction.
Clear communication.
Professional clerking.
The final decision to accept an instruction always rests with the individual barrister.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are you a barristers' chambers?
No. Direct Access Barristers is not a barristers' chambers and is not a law firm.
We are an independent professional consultant clerking service.
Do you accept instructions from solicitors?
Yes.
We accept enquiries and instructions from solicitors seeking suitable counsel for their clients.
Can solicitors contact you when they do not know which barrister they need?
Yes. You can provide details of the case, area of law, hearing date, type of work and any particular expertise required.
Our Senior Consultant Clerk can then consider the enquiry and, where appropriate, assist with identifying suitable counsel.
How much experience does your Senior Consultant Clerk have?
Our Senior Consultant Clerk has over 30 years' experience working within the Bar and has worked across seven barristers' chambers.
Do you provide legal advice?
No.
We provide professional clerking and administrative services. Legal advice is provided by the individual barrister instructed.
Can members of the public instruct a barrister through you?
In appropriate circumstances, yes. We can assist with enquiries concerning appropriately authorised Direct Access/Public Access barristers.
Can you arrange urgent counsel?
We can consider urgent enquiries, subject to the availability of an appropriate barrister and the circumstances of the case.
Urgent hearing dates and deadlines should be clearly identified when making an enquiry.
Do you undertake Legal Aid work?
No. We do not undertake Legal Aid work.
Are terms and payment agreed in advance?
Yes. Terms of engagement, scope of work, fees and payment arrangements are agreed in advance before work commences.
Looking for London Counsel?
Whether you are a solicitor seeking counsel for your client, a business looking for specialist legal assistance, or an individual considering Direct Access, our Senior Consultant Clerk can assist with the practical enquiry process.
Senior Consultant Clerk
Over 30 Years' Experience
Experience Across Seven Barristers' Chambers
Solicitor Instructions Accepted
Direct Access & Public Access Enquiries
No Legal Aid
London | Nationwide
Contact Us
If you are a solicitor, please provide the relevant details of the matter, hearing date or deadline and the type of counsel you require.
If you are a Direct Access client, please provide a brief description of your legal issue and the assistance you are seeking.
We will consider your enquiry and, where appropriate, assist with the next step.
Important Information
Direct Access Barristers is not a barristers' chambers and is not a law firm.
We provide professional consultant clerking, administrative and related services. We do not provide legal advice.
Legal advice and representation are provided by the individual barrister who accepts the instruction.
Not every barrister accepts Direct Access/Public Access instructions and not every matter is suitable for Direct Access.
Clients and solicitors should consider the individual barrister's regulatory status, authorisations, terms of business, fees, complaints procedure and the scope of the proposed instruction before work commences.
All terms, fees and payment arrangements are agreed in advance.
We do not undertake Legal Aid work.
Areas We Cover
We offer advice, drafting, negoitation and representation on various properly law matters
The Barristers provide expert advice on employment matters, from drafting contracts to resolving disputes, advising on employment issues; drafting documents and representation at the Employment Tribunal
The Barristers advise and draft documents to issues relating to land, rights of way, and boundary disputes, and represent you at court if you have a hearing.
What we do at Direct Access Barrister
If we do not act as the clerk for the barrister, Direct Access Barrister will find an appropriate barrister for your case. We will then offer the work to suitable barristers and invite them to take it on for the proposed fee. We will make every effort to find a barrister who will work for the agreed fees.
Whether it's direct access instructions or instructions from a solicitor to a barrister, and we are not serving as their clerk, Direct Access Barrister charges an administration fee, which is included in the quote you receive. This fee allows us to assist you in finding the right barrister, ensuring the best value, and guiding you through the instruction process. Payment of all fixed fees is required up front.
Our barristers receive 100% of their fees. All quotes provided include our administration fees, the barrister’s fees, and VAT. It’s a fully inclusive price with no hidden costs.
“Direct Access Barristers (the Company) acts as the barrister’s agent to collect fees. Payments received are for the barrister and are passed on. All fees belong to the barrister.”
