What is Public Access?

Most barristers at 2 Pump Court can be instructed on cases directly by members of the public and corporate entities without the need for an intermediary such as a solicitor. This removes previous barriers and can significantly reduce your legal costs.

Previously as a member of the public or a corporate entity, the law required you to take your legal problems first to a solicitor who after conducting the initial assessment may then instruct a barrister on your behalf in order to obtain specialist advice and/or conduct your advocacy in court. This usually resulted in you having to pay two separate legal advisors.

Since 2004 however, a change in the law has meant that you are now able to bypass the procedure of instructing a solicitor and can now bring your case directly to a specialist barrister. It also means you can obtain specialist legal advice at a time of your choosing and not at the last minute when your case goes to court or when a solicitor decides to instruct a barrister on your behalf.  It provides you the choice of involving a specialist in your case from the very start.