How solicitors and barristers differ

Solicitors are highly trained professionals who look after your interests and can guide you through difficult circumstances. They understand the complexities and consequences of the law and can often find alternatives to your issue that you may not have considered. They have a right of appearance in Court but usually represent clients in the Magistrates Court, briefing barristers in the higher courts.

Barristers are lawyers who specialise in court advocacy, including the preparation of pleadings for those court cases, and the preparation of specialist legal opinions. They don’t prepare wills and contracts, though they do advise on them, nor do they undertake conveyancing.

Judges are usually chosen from experienced barristers, although solicitors have previously been appointed as judges. More information about barristers is available from the Queensland Bar Association.

Legal systems and terminology vary greatly between countries. In Australia, even different states have variations. Terms such as attorney and advocate tend to not be used in Queensland to describe lawyers.