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http://enwikipedia.org/wiki/Barrister

A barrister (also known as barrister-at-law or Bar-at-law) is a type of lawyer in common law jurisdictions with a split legal profession, usually of greater value. Barristers specialize in courtroom advocacy and litigation. Their tasks include taking cases in large tribunals, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions. Often, barristers are also regarded as legal scholars.

Barristers are distinguished from solicitors or attorneys, who have more direct access to clients, and may do transactional-type legal work. Barristers are rarely hired by clients directly but instead are retained (or instructed) by solicitors to act on behalf of clients. In some legal systems, including those of Scotland, South Africa, Scandinavia, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man, barrister is regarded as an honorific title.

In few jurisdictions, barristers are usually forbidden from "conducting" litigation, and can only act on the instructions of a solicitor who performs tasks such as corresponding with parties and the court, and drafting court documents. In England and Wales, barristers may seek authorisation from the Bar Standards Board to conduct litigation. This allows the barrister to practice in a 'dual capacity', fulfilling the role of both barrister and solicitor. [1]

In some countries with common law legal systems, like New Zealand and some states of Australia, lawyers are entitled to practise both as barristers and solicitors, but it remains a separate system of qualification to practice exclusively as a barrister.