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There are over 15,000 barristers practising law in England and Wales.

Barristers provide specialist advice and representation in legal disputes, including representing their clients in court cases.

Often, if you have instructed a solicitor or another type of lawyer, they will find and appoint a suitable barrister for you.

However, nowadays you can also approach many barristers directly to get help without needing to go through another lawyer first. This is known a 'Public Access', or 'Direct Access'.

As the regulator of barristers in England and Wales, it is the job of the Bar Standards Board to handle complaints against members of the Bar and take disciplinary action if appropriate. However, sometimes they learn of people who are deliberately pretending to be barristers when they are not – an act which is a serious criminal offence.