What is the salary of barristers in UK?

Answer 1

* Typical earnings/receipts for self-employed barristers, before deduction of tax and chambers' charges, range from £25,000 - £150,000 gross within five years of call (salary data collected Feb 07, The UK Legal 500). * Typical earnings/receipts at senior levels and before deduction of tax and chambers' charges, range from £65,000 - £1,000,000 gross for ten or more years of call (salary data collected Feb 07, the UK Legal 500). * Top Queen's Counsel (QC) can earn £1,000,000+ per year (salary data collected Feb 07, the UK Legal 500). * There are huge disparities in annual earnings at the Bar with some criminal law junior barristers earning as little as £50 per day whilst some top commercial sets offer their pupils over £40,000pa. All pupillages are funded unless, in exceptional circumstances, a waiver is granted. Earnings for barristers starting out can be extremely low and there can be a considerable delay between doing the work and receiving remuneration. * Salaries for employed barristers vary widely between employers. * Most barristers (and advocates) are self-employed and have to pay towards the running/overheads of chambers from their income, as well as covering their own tax and pension arrangements. Employed barristers can work for a wide range of organisations within the commercial and public sectors. * The ratio of self-employed to employed barristers is currently around 4:1 (source:The Bar Council). * While courts tend to sit at regular hours during the day, barristers frequently have to work long, unsocial hours involving evenings and weekends, particularly early on in their career. * This is a highly demanding role. It is also intellectually challenging and provides a very supportive professional community. * Most opportunities are in London and the main provincial centres. In Scotland, most advocates are based in Edinburgh. * 70% of practising barristers are men but the balance at call to the Bar and in pupillage is roughly 50/50 male/female (data collected February 2007). * Barristers are expected to conform to high standards of dress, ethics and professional conduct. * While it is relatively rare to travel or work overseas, travel within a working day can be a common feature.