New research spotlights profession in crisis
One in three criminal barristers are seriously considering ditching the bar, according to new research.
The Criminal Bar Association’s (CBA) findings reveal that while one-third of criminal barristers are “actively seeking to leave the bar,” another third are considering switching to a different practice area. Additionally, 12% are weighing both options.
Less than half of criminal barristers remain committed to publicly funded work, according to the survey, which received over 1,700 responses.
Key reasons behind this “crisis” include financial concerns, long and stressful hours, and growing administrative burdens. Nearly 80% of respondents say that handling tasks previously managed by solicitors and the CPS prevents them from properly “focus[ing] on the case” at hand. This all comes amid what over 60% of respondents describe as “crumbling court infrastructure”.
“The remuneration simply does not reflect the hours of work” according to the CBA, with 80% criminal barristers working “longer than 50 hours a week”. One in two work over 70 hours — 10 hours a day — with over a third working “every or nearly every weekend” on “both Saturday and Sunday”. This contributes to 84% missing “family and personal events” and over 7 in 10 suffering from “stressful childcare issues”.
Nearly 1,600 responses said they want the focus to be on “adequate and fair remuneration” going forward. Almost 9 in 10 seek a one-off percentage increase in all fees to reflect that criminal barristers have not been treated like other key workers in the last twenty years. Nearly all of those surveyed (97%) seek the same rights as all key public sector workers like judges, the civil service and others.
One positive takeaway from the research is that 80% of barristers report experiencing a sense of pride and purpose in their work at least some of the time.
These findings, though unfortunate, will come as no surprise to those following developments at the criminal bar. Barrister Joanna Hardy-Susskind recently voiced concerns about juniors leaving the profession, citing long hours and low pay as key factors.
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