There are three distinct stages in qualifying as a barrister: the academic stage, the vocational stage and the pupillage stage.
Academic Stage
Students must undertake and pass an approved law degree. Please click her for information relating to approved law degrees for the purposes of admission to the Institute of Professional Legal Studies.
Vocational Stage
Students must undertake the one year full-time Degree of Barrister-at-Law at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at QUB. Candidates must have completed the academic stage and passed an entrance examination before being admitted to the degree course.
Pupillage Stage
Students are called to the Bar of Northern Ireland after they have passed the Degree of Barrister-at-Law.
A person intending to practise at the Bar of Northern Ireland must, unless exempted by the Education Committee of the Executive Council, after being called to the Bar enter into pupillage with a barrister in independent practice of not less than 7 years standing or other barrister nominated by the Education Committee for a period of 12 months or such other period as the Executive Council may prescribe.
Save for one exception which is set out below a person who has entered into pupillage may not accept instruction as a barrister in Northern Ireland or conduct any case or part of a case in any court or tribunal until he/she has completed to the satisfaction of the Education Committee 6 months' pupillage or such other period of pupillage as the Council may prescribe.
A pupil barrister who has completed to the satisfaction of the Education Committee not less than 3 months' pupillage may conduct on behalf of or at the request of his master a case or part of a case before a Master of the Supreme Court.
Qualified lawyers from outside Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Solicitors who wish to practice at the Bar of Northern Ireland should go to the Rules of the Honorable Society of the Inn of Court of Northern Ireland in the Code of Conduct section of this website.
Please click here for further information on becoming a barrister