What are the Differences between Lawyers and Solicitors in Ireland?
The term “Lawyer” is an umbrella term that includes solicitors, barristers, and other legal officials. All of these people are qualified to give legal advice to clients on a range of matters. Barristers are recognised by the Bar of Ireland and solicitors are recognised by the Law Society of Ireland. Ireland divides law practitioners into barristers and solicitors.
A barrister is a ‘lawyer’ who deals in the upper courts. They deal with a solicitor on the client’s behalf whereas a solicitor deals directly with a client. A solicitor is a type of lawyer who deals directly with the client and represents them in the courts where a barrister is not necessary.
Solicitors function as the bread and butter to the legal system. They deal in all matters of law. Although, they can specialise in specific law such as conveyancing. They are the ones who contact barristers when they need specialised advice or for the case to be taken to a higher court.
Both solicitors and barristers are able to conduct litigation in court. The difference lies in the type of court and contact with the client. Where solicitors are able to function on their own or join a firm, barristers must operate individually.
The three fundamental differences between a solicitor and a barrister are:
· Barristers do not deal in conveyancing matters while solicitors do.
· Barristers do not hold money for a client while a solicitor can.
· Barristers cannot bind a client or their property by promise to a financial institution whereas a solicitor can.
Both barristers and solicitors are bound by confidentiality rules. They both must uphold the client’s best interests in court and never act in a way that would harm the client’s case. All registered solicitors can be searched for on the Law Society of Ireland’s website. All registered barristers can be found on the Bar of Ireland’s website.
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