FAQs

Should I instruct a barrister?

If you are still unsure if one of our barristers can help you or if you can instruct a barrister directly please contact a member of our Practice Management Team on clerks@outertemple.com or on +44 (0) 7353 6381.

Many cases can be resolved without the need to go to court. We can discuss all of your available options including simple correspondence, round table meetings and alternative dispute resolution methods such as mediation, arbitration, adjudication and early neutral evaluation. These methods bring those in the dispute together to reach a compromise or a solution without going straight to court.

Yes, we do. In straightforward cases you can ask one of our barristers to advise you and represent you without having to go through a solicitor or other authorised litigator first.

There are some things that a barrister cannot do on your behalf and which you will have to do if you do not have a solicitor. This may include filing documents with the court and paying court fees.

Please see our Direct Access section for more information.

The Bar Standards Board has produced guidance for lay clients on the public access scheme which you can access here.

Most of our barristers are ‘members’ of Chambers. Members pay a levy to practise out of Chambers with a central staff team who provide administrative, IT and marketing support and manage their diaries.

A door tenant is also a barrister but one who is also affiliated to, and practises out of, another chambers. A professional associate is usually either a qualified lawyer (a barrister called to the Bar, or other legal adviser, advocate or consultant, but qualified in a non-UK jurisdiction). They may also be a legal academic.

Both our door tenants and professional associates are associate members of Outer Temple Chambers.

The legal profession in England is divided into two parts: barristers and solicitors. In general, solicitors do transactional work while barristers appear in Court and tribunals and do advisory work of a complex nature.

A barrister is an expert advocate who represents clients and argues their cases, in person, in the courts, tribunals or before an arbitrator or other neutral/panel of neutrals. Barristers also provide specialist legal advice.

Barristers specialise in one or more areas of law and offer a high degree of knowledge, skill and expertise in their fields of practice.

Our barristers are independent sole practitioners and are self-employed. They do not share profits, and are not in partnership with other barristers in chambers or with solicitors or other legal professionals.

Barristers are assisted by a practice management team, sometimes known as clerks. These act like an agents and are the first point of contact for most clients; they book cases in for barristers and they will advise on which barrister is most suitable for your case. They also agree fees with you.

Our barristers act for a wide range of clients: multi-national firms and companies, government bodies, other institutions and individuals, both in the UK and in foreign jurisdictions. Barristers in England & Wales are regulated by the Bar Standards Board (BSB).

Our barristers accept instructions from:

  • Solicitors, other authorised litigators, employed barristers and legal advice centres and clinics in the United Kingdom (often referred to as ‘professional clients’).
  • European lawyers registered with The Law Society and qualified lawyers from other jurisdictions.
  • Licensed professionals in the UK, under the Licensed Access scheme.
  • Individuals from other jurisdictions, companies and members of the public (‘lay clients’) under the Public Access scheme (sometimes also referred to as direct access). For more information on instructing a barrister using public access, see here.

Chambers’ practice management team (traditionally known as ‘clerks’) receive and manage instructions. They are always happy to answer questions about potential instructions or about any of our practitioners. Professional, licensed access or lay clients may contact the practice management team to obtain a quotation for legal services and discuss suitability and availability. We aim to provide such a quotation promptly, and certainly within the 14 day period indicated by the BSB.

If you have a legal or ADR matter (by ADR we refer to the potential appointment of an arbitrator, adjudicator or mediator) and are seeking to instruct a barrister, please do contact us on + 44 (0)20 7 353 6381 or via clerks@outertemple.com.

Regulatory

Please visit our Terms of Business page for full details.

Yes. Please visit our Regulatory Details page for full details.

Joining Us

If you are interested in joining our barrister or professional support team please visit our Join Our Team page.

Please visit our Pupillage pages for full details.

Fees and Funding

If you have a fee enquiry involving complex fee arrangements please ask for Paul Carver or Judy Gant.
For general fee enquiries and for fees relating to your case please ask for Pamela Chatterway or Justine Nabacwa.

If you instructed us directly you can pay your legal fees quickly and easily by credit card. We accept all major payment cards including Visa Debit and Credit; Mastercard Debit and Credit; Maestro Card.

You can also pay your fees directly from your bank account, by using a BACS transfer facility.

You normally have 30 days to pay any invoice. VAT will be added to all fees (unless exemptions apply).

General Enquiries

Outer Temple Chambers has offices in London and Dubai but provide our services around the world. We are also happy to visit your office/premises and have representation around the world. Please see our Global Reach page to find out more. If we do not have a representative close by we are able to arrange video conferences and communicate via email/ telephone to resolve your case remotely. We have handled many remote cases successfully. 

If you would like to visit one of our offices please see our location pages for maps, directions and opening times.

Yes – please see our location pages for full details of facilities at each office.

The practice management team will be your first point of contact. We will tell you which practice director and/or practice manager will be responsible for your case and they will be your point of contact for any queries. You can telephone or email our barristers and practice management team at any time. We will let you know within one working day that we have received your instructions in your case. We will keep you informed of any updates or any unforeseen developments as soon as possible and we will discuss what that means and what options there are. 

We aim to ensure that you feel confident and reassured every step of the way.

We want to know if you were pleased with the service you received so please do give us feedback. We will always pass on your comments to your barrister. Please complete our Client Feedback Survey on our Testimonials page.

Complaints

We are sorry you are not happy with the service you received. Please visit our Complaints page for information on what to do next.

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