Barrister FAQ's

Barrister FAQ's

Guidance for barristers and clerks

  • Click here for our PDF document for clerks wishing to add barristers' profiles to the Clerksroom Direct public access portal.
  • Click here for our PDF document explaining why Clerksroom Direct was created and how it works for barristers and clerks.

Frequently asked questions:

Clerksroom Direct is free for barristers to sign up and use. We do not charge commission or any fee to a barrister, clerk or chambers. It is completely free.

Clerksroom Direct is an online service for promoting yourself to public access clients, securely sending quotes and responding to opportunities for work, in addition to providing you with tools to securely communicate, take payments, produce client care letters and to store documents for six years. Our highly automated system provides email verification, address verification, compliance with Bar Standards Board rules, secure payment processing, a client account facility, links to ATE, ESCROW and solicitors willing to help as required offering a two-hour response time under an agreed SLA.  Online quote tracking, full audit trails, electronic IP tracking and electronic signatures of client care documents are also provided. The Clerksroom Direct portal is a complete public access management system for barristers. Clerks are copied into each quote request, if required, simply by adding the clerk's name and email to your profile. Did we mention, it's completely free? Create an account and get started here.

Click here to request a reset of your password. An email will be sent to your registered email address. Please check your spam filter.

Barristers select the geographical areas in which they are prepared to work based on the traditional circuits. Barristers may also click the 'nationwide' button within the login to accept enquiries nationally. Clerksroom Direct operates in England and Wales only.

Relevance of a barristers profile to the enquiry is based on a number of factors but mainly on the number of areas of expertise each barrister lists as specialist areas. If a barrister has signed up to undertake a wide range of areas of law, the relevance score will be lower than someone with one or two areas of expertise. Our system also looks at the relevance of the profile text to the enquiry.

In our experience, clients prefer to establish contact with a barrister on the telephone before they instruct them to carry out the work. It is not mandatory for a barrister to offer this service but a client will see who is and who is not prepared to offer this service and they can factor that into their decision as to who to proceed with. Please remember that it is not 30 minutes free advice, it is an opportunity for the client to discuss what is required and for you to assess if you are able to assist.

The portal is a tool to help you with compliance and audit your public access work. It does not change any aspect of the working relationship you have with your clerks or chambers. The portal has been designed by clerks specifically not to conflict with chambers, clerks or any existing relationships.

Complaints are dealt with in the normal way. In the first instance, a client will outline their concern and it will be sent to the barrister or the barrister's clerk. The client may take the complaint further to the legal ombudsman if they are dissatisfied with the response. Our role will be to provide information about the client's right to complain and how the complaint can be progressed. A barrister will always be required to accept responsibility for complaints or concerns about work they have undertaken. Guidance is also offered in the "links" section of this website.

You can create an account and build your profile at www.clerksroomdirect.com/login.

Pre-paid fees for barristers are held in a client account with Lloyds Bank and protected by all the rules surrounding client accounts.

There is no requirement to put pre-payment of agreed barristers fees into an ESCROW account. ESCROW accounts are used to hold client monies. Pre-payment of an agreed fee with a barrister is pre-payment. Should an ESCROW account be required, we have arrangements through BarCo to establish an ESCROW account quickly with Barclays. ESCROW facilities are built into the portal system should they be required. For more information about the Bar Council's ESCROW account, click here.

The Clerksroom Direct model is to provide administration and efficient I.T. systems to help barristers manage direct access enquiries from members of the public. We work with marketing partners who are experienced web marketers and use highly effective Google campaigns. Clerksroom Direct will focus on the management of enquiries and looking after barristers who have signed up to use the portal. Our marketing partners will generate leads for us. If you would like to become a marketing partner, please contact Stephen Ward on 0845 083 3000.

Yes, we work with partners who offer profile writing services and video production if you would like an additional video bio. Click here.