Direct Access

In addition to receiving instructions from Solicitors, members of Chambers may also accept instructions in two other ways:

Licensed Access

Barristers at Palmyra Chambers are happy to accept instructions from approved organisations in appropriate cases. We believe that in close cooperation with licensed access organisations, our members can provide efficient and cost-effective legal advice and representation. If you believe that you / your organisation may be part of the licensed access group scheme please telephone the Clerks for confirmation or alternatively and to find out more about the Licensed Access route, we suggest you refer to the handbook “Licensed Access Guidance - Handbook for Clients”, published by the General Council of the Bar (whose address is below), which is also available online at www.barcouncil.org.uk (follow the links to “Instructing a Barrister; Licensed Access”).

Direct Public Access

Traditionally members of the public could not go to Barristers directly; they had to go through Solicitors or other recognised bodies. That meant paying for two lawyers. For paying clients, the cost of engaging two lawyers was often too much to bear and hence a barrister’s involvement was often held off to save costs. That situation changed in July 2004 when the Bar Council made rules allowing members of the public to engage the services of barristers directly without first going through Solicitors. The rules are known as the Public Access Rules. Palmyra Chambers aims to assist clients in line with the aim of that change in the rules.

One of our Barristers, Robert Askey is willing to accept instructions in relation to advisory work, drafting and advocacy directly from the public under the Direct Public Access Scheme. For contact details click [Here]

To find out more about the Public Access route, we suggest you refer to the handbook “Public Access to Barristers - Guidance to Lay Clients” also published by the General Council of the Bar and available online at www.barcouncil.org.uk (follow links to “Instructing a Barrister; Public Access”).

Direct public access is not permitted in most criminal, family or immigration work and barristers are only authorised to carry out direct access work in line with the requirements of our professional regulatory body, the Bar Council.

And for Foreign Lawyers?

Barristers are able to receive direct instructions from lawyers, businesses or individuals based outside the UK and can offer specialist advice, arbitration services, mediation and specialist advocacy services, the latter before European and international courts and tribunals. Only if and when litigation is being contemplated in this jurisdiction, will an English/Welsh solicitor needs to be instructed to complete the preparatory work for litigation.

For more information on these routes, requirements and other guidelines on how to instruct barristers please see the Bar Council of England & Wales website at www.barcouncil.org.uk. Or write to:

The Bar Council,
289-293 High Holborn
London
WC1V 7HZ
Tel 020 7242 0082

When you contact us, we will first offer you a consultation about the matter and advise you about the procedures and legal assistance you may require at each stage. We will quote and agree a fee for the legal service for each stage before we provide any legal service. You may be able to reduce your total legal costs by up to half. When and where appropriate should the services of a Solicitor be required we will either recommend one or you could instruct one of your own choice.

Funding

It is unlikely that we could carry out the means assessment required to establish whether you would qualify for public funding, or “legal aid” as it is commonly called. Presently barristers are not permitted to apply to the Legal Services Commission for public funding on your behalf. However if it appears to us that you may qualify for public funding, we are likely to advise that you to approach a solicitor with a franchise from the Legal Services Commission to investigate this possibility but in any event the Legal Services Commission website has an ‘online means test’ qualification section which may assist in the first instance.

For assistance with this issue please contact the Legal Service Commission via it’s website at http://www.clsdirect.org.uk/index.jsp