How much does a Barrister Earn (approximately) annually?

Answer 1

What the others have said is true, almost. More barristers are at the lower end of the earnings scale -- £30,000 or so -- than the higher end -- £1 million or so.

Competence OR "who you know" -- one or the other -- is essential.

Answer 2

It depends whether one is speaking of an employed barrister, who could be on a very respectable income, or a barrister in private practice, which is what you are probably thinking of. Don't be misled by the figures which you hear bandied about. Many junior barristers are struggling to make ends meet. Out of their earnings (which are sometimes a long time in coming to them and sometimes have to be written off as bad debts), they have to pay chambers rent, which is a hefty proportion of their income, 10% to their clerk (although nowadays that tends to be absorbed in higher chambers rents), professional indemnity insurance (obligatory), transport costs to attend court up and down the country and all sorts of other overheads. There isn't much left over for mortgage payments and food. Holidays and time off sick are of course unpaid, as the barrister is self employed, and as well as normal national insurance contributions, a barrister has to pay the extra contributions levied on self employed people. On top of all this, a barrister has to make some sort of provision for retirement, the alternative being to struggle on until the bitter end, as some do. So, all in all, while some barristers can do comfortably enough, a large proportion are not doing well at all. Be not deceived by appearances!

Answer 3

If you are a criminal law barrister and starting out, very little - most pupillages (civil and criminal) are unpaid. If you do get a place in Chambers (tenancy) you are effectively self employed and earn from your court appearances. If you are in a successful civil set this could be anywhere from £50 k pa to the sky is the limit - with local criminal work - attendance at magistrates courts for example, it will be considerably less.

Answer 4

If just called the the bar, a criminal barrister who has just completed pupillage actually earns very little, contrary to the answers given above. During pupillage you may earn from around £15,000 per year at the lower end before tax and Chamber charge. After pupillage you may earn around £22,000 per year at the lower end before tax and Chamber charge. Its hard to say what is the tax and Chamber charge. It varies between different chambers.

Answer 5

The best of the best, or a QC (Queens Court) barister can potentially earn £156,000 annually.

Or a normal one can normally earn £50,000 - £100,000

Not bad, eh?!

Answer 6

yup

Answer 7

£50k+

Answer 8

too much!!!