Exercise 1

Decide if the following statements are true or false

1.Distinction between barrister and solicitor exists in all English-speaking countries.

2.Solicitors in UK don’t have rights of audience in courts.

3.Solicitors may help the parties to solve their disagreements without taking legal action.

4.In England a university graduate with a degree in Law is qualified as a solicitor.

5.Standardized qualification examinations for lawyers are quite difficult to pass.

6.Barristers are hired by individuals to represent their interests in court.

7.After passing the qualification exam a barrister has to gain a year experience as an articled clerk.

8.Magistrates in Britain are unpaid non-professional judges who try cases in lower courts.

Exercise 2

Match the words from the text (1-9) with their corresponding definition on the right (a-i)

1.innocent a) senior official in a court of law

2.solicitor b) provides general legal advice to clients

3.judge c) person who institutes a criminal case

4.magistrate d) say that smb. is to be blamed, broke the law

5.guilty e) presents cases in the upper courts

6.clerk of the court f) not guilty

7.barrister g) panel of 12 people who decide whether the accused

committed a crime

8.jury h) untrained lawyer who presides over the

lowest criminal court

9.prosecutor i) official who looks after administrative and legal matters in the courtroom

Exercise 3

The legal training for solicitors (who provide general legal advice to clients) and barristers (who present cases in the upper courts) is different. The following short texts describe the stages in legal training, but they are mixed up. Put the steps into the correct category and order.

1 PRACTICE AND CONTINUING EDUCATION

The next stage is to obtain a 'tenancy': becoming an assistant to a practising barrister.

2 GETTING THE QUALIFICATIONS

The next step is to acquire some legal training specific to the work of a barrister.

3 DEVELOPING PRACTICAL SKILLS

Next the intending solicitor has to enter a two-year training contract with a firm of solicitors to gain practical experience in a variety of areas of law.

4 GETTING THE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE: PUPILLAGE

This is the 'apprenticeship' served by trainee barristers, who are known as pupils. It usually takes a year and consists of a mixture of assisting and observing experienced barristers, as well as more practical experience.

5 GETTING THE ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

The quickest and most common route to qualification is by means of a qualifying law degree.

6 GETTING THE VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

You will have to undertake the Legal Practice Course, which is the professional training for solicitors. The course teaches the practical application of the law to the needs of clients.

7 GETTING THE ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS

The first part of training to become a barrister is known as the academic stage, which provides a general theoretical introduction to the law.