Legalese Explained

Deciphering legal terms used in courtroom dramas can take as much time as working out whether the main suspect is really as innocent as they claim. In this post, I’ll explain some courtroom terms you’ll hear in British legal dramas.

Barristers

There are two branches of the legal profession in England and Wales. In the majority of cases, barristers represent clients in the higher courts. In legal dramas, criminal barristers feature heavily in scenes from the Crown Court. They will have a wig on their head and be wearing a black gown. Some famous barristers include Amal Clooney and Tony Blair.

Queen’s Counsel/Silk

When a barrister reaches a significant number of years of experience (around ten years on average) then they can apply for silk. They can use the honorific “QC” after their name and can wear a silk gown. Junior barristers wear wool gowns to distinguish them from their senior colleagues.

Chambers

Many barristers work from “Chambers”. These are buildings containing offices for a group of barristers. Barristers are usually self-employed and being part of a Chambers allows them to share office costs to save expenses. The…