Tag Archives: barristers

The Barristers

I’ve been too busy moving house to report on episode 2 of The Barristers before now. Geeklawyer and Family Lore have given their views – I’m inclined also to be less than bowled over. At least we got to see some family law in action which was a welcome reprieve – but frankly I’m bored with traipsing around after pupils. I don’t really need to be reminded of the exquisite masochism of running up vast amounts of debt in the desperate hope of a pupillage and then a tenancy. It makes me twitch.

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And I imagine its really rather dull for everyone else too. For myself, I’d rather the programme concentrated on what we do once we are up and running rather than whining on about how hard it is to become a [fat cat] lawyer (let’s face it this is a rare opportunity to demonstrate to people that its not just a tough profession to break in to but also a tough profession to live in and so far the programme has done nothing to tackle the stereotypes about how fabulously and unjustifiably wealthy we all are). Although this is a BBC production it’s clear the Bar Council has had a significant part to play in the way the series has come together, and so far it is alarmingly reminiscent of the terrible training videos provided to all BVC students (starring no less than Tim Brooke Taylor as Mr Barrister) – dressing it up in a wig and gown, blathering on about posh dinners and inexplicably interviewing all the male barristers driving round and round chancery lane in their leather clad jaguars doesn’t stop it looking like a training video entitled ‘Why all barristers are quaint and clever and interesting and really quite charming chaps and chapesses’. And whether its PR 101 or reality TV – don’t people want to see the reality of the job rather than just the training?

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Well, maybe all will be redeemed in Episodes 3 and 4?

The Barristers – Verdict In

Part 1 was a bit of a disappointment for me, but I’ll keep an open mind until the end of all four episodes…It was a bit crammed with the entertaining archaisms and amusing traditions which are frontloaded onto entry into the profession and frankly a bit hackneyed – the formal dinners and all the other stuff you have to contend with when training, and the whimsical stories everyone gets told on their first mini-pupillage (red bags etc). It’s not really representative of what the bar is all about. I can’t think when I last wore a wig and I have made a point of avoiding obnoxious formal dinners since I earnt my twelfth dining point and got called. And I shake other barrister’s hand just to annoy them (tradition says we don’t do that at the bar).

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I had understood that one of the barristers being followed was a family barrister, perhaps he or she will make an appearance in later episodes along with a bit more reality tv (I mean that literally not pejoratively) and a bit less confirming of stereotypes.

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Notwithstanding all the mildly amusing stories it wasn’t exactly an exciting piece of telly, but don’t let that dissuade you from watching future episodes – we are really not as dull as you might think from part 1 and I think it will get better….