What is the employed Bar?

At a glance

• The employed Bar offers an alternative to self-employed practice.
• You receive a regular salary and employee benefits.
• You work closely with solicitors and other colleagues.
• You keep the same professional duties as a barrister.
• You can complete your pupillage at the employed Bar.
• Express Chambers combines advocacy with the support of an integrated law firm.

The employed Bar is made up of barristers who work as employees of an organisation rather than practising on a self-employed basis from traditional chambers.

As an employed barrister, you can work for a law firm, government department, regulator, business, charity or another organisation. You remain a practising barrister with the same professional duties, but the structure around your work is different. You typically receive a regular salary and employee benefits while working more closely with colleagues across your organisation.

If you’re considering a career at the Bar or thinking about moving from self-employed practice, understanding these differences can help you decide whether the employed Bar is right for you.

What is the modern employed Bar?

When you work at the employed Bar, you practise as a barrister while being employed by an organisation. You could work within:

• A law firm
• A government department
• The Crown Prosecution Service
• A regulator
• A business
• A charity or another organisation

You remain a barrister and retain the professional responsibilities that come with your role. Your employment status changes the structure around your practice, not your duties as an advocate.

The employed Bar is an established part of the profession. The latest Bar Standards Board figures provided for this article record 3,123 employed practising barristers in England and Wales in 2025.

At Express Chambers, you’ll work as part of our integrated advocacy and litigation team. You’ll work closely with the solicitors progressing each case, giving you greater visibility of the wider litigation strategy and the client’s journey behind your instructions.

Employed vs self-employed barrister: what’s the difference?

The main difference between working as an employed and self-employed barrister is how your practice is structured.

As a self-employed barrister, you generally practise as a sole trader and take responsibility for the financial and administrative aspects of running your practice. At the employed Bar, you work for an organisation and receive a salary, with many of the business costs and administrative responsibilities handled by your employer.

Feature	Self-employed barrister	Employed barrister
Income	Variable, based on billing	Regular salary
Business costs	You cover costs such as chambers rent, clerks’ fees and insurance	Relevant employment costs are covered by your employer
Career support	Greater individual responsibility	Access to organisational HR and development support
Work culture	More independent practice	Greater day-to-day integration with colleagues

Research indicates that 86% of employed barristers experience a strong sense of everyday collaboration and co-operation within their teams. You’re not working in a silo. Instead, you’ll have access to robust HR departments, clear hybrid working arrangements, and predictable parental leave, all of which are frequently difficult to navigate in traditional chambers.

Neither route changes your fundamental professional obligations as a barrister. The difference is the environment in which you practise and how your career, finances and day-to-day work are organised.

The financial reality of salaried advocacy

Your income is one of the clearest practical differences between employed and self-employed practice.

If you’re self-employed, your earnings can fluctuate depending on your workload, fees and expenses. As an employed barrister, you receive a salary from your organisation, which can give you greater predictability over your income and employment-related costs.

Financial considerations can start at pupillage. The Bar Standards Board sets minimum pupillage awards, currently £25,863 in London and £23,504 outside London according to the figures supplied for this article.

The salary ranges provided for employed advocacy roles are:

• Newly qualified barristers: £44,000 to £50,000, depending on your location and specialism
• Mid-level counsel with 3–6 years’ PQE: £60,000 to £90,000
• Senior corporate advocates: £90,000 to £150,000+

Your actual salary will depend on factors including your employer, location, area of practice and experience.

Your overall employment package may also include benefits like employer pension contributions and professional indemnity insurance. This means you may not have to meet the same practice-related overheads yourself.

If you’re comparing employed and self-employed practice, it’s therefore worth looking beyond headline earnings. Salary predictability, benefits, professional expenses and opportunities for progression can all affect the overall financial picture.

How Express Chambers integrates advocacy into a leading law firm

A seamless litigation model

At Express Chambers, we’ve built a model that bridges the gap between traditional advocacy and modern legal efficiency. As an integrated chambers operating within Express Solicitors, a leading national personal injury firm, we’ve reimagined how advocacy fits into the litigation process.

Direct instructions and early involvement

Our advocates are instructed directly by the wider firm, which allows for a continuous, strategic approach to every case we manage. This ensures that the solicitor and the advocate are always aligned, working towards the same goal of securing maximum compensation for our clients. By being embedded within the firm, you’ll benefit from early case involvement and access to the vast internal resources of Express Solicitors.

Dedicated professional support

To manage this effectively, we’ve developed a dedicated clerk structure that mirrors the professional support of a traditional set. This allows you to focus on the law, knowing that your practice is supported by experts who understand the nuances of personal injury and clinical negligence litigation. This structure allows you to build your practice within Express Chambers, keeping up to date with our growth through our latest news.

Securing pupillage and advancing your career at Express Chambers

If you’re ready to start or transition your practice, the path to joining us is clear, transparent and focused on merit. Pupillages registered at the employed Bar now represent 20.5% of all registered pupillages, and we are proud to be a BSB Authorised Education and Training Organisation (AETO) that offers a rigorous, supported training programme. We believe in nurturing talent from the outset, providing the tools you need to succeed.

1. Submitting your application: Start by visiting our graduate recruitment portal to submit your details and CV.
2. Structured interview process: We use a multi-stage process designed to assess your legal reasoning and core advocacy skills rather than just your academic record.
3. Supported pupillage: Once successful, you’ll join a structured programme with a dedicated supervisor, a competitive salary and immediate exposure to high-value litigation.

Whether you’re a student looking to start your journey or a practitioner seeking a better way to work, we invite you to review our current opportunities. We outline the skills and attitudes we look for during our barrister pupillage process, helping our advocates excel in a firm that truly values their contribution.

Ready to advance your advocacy career?

The employed Bar is a premier career destination that provides real financial security, deep team collaboration and the opportunity to engage in high-level advocacy every day.

At Express Chambers, we represent the vanguard of this model, proving that you can combine the elite standards of the Bar with the stability and resources of a market-leading firm. If you are looking for a path that respects your expertise while fostering your growth, you’ve found your home.

Take the next step and join a team that values your talent and supports your long-term success. Apply now for our pupillage or advocate roles by submitting your CV via our vacancy portal.

The employed Bar FAQs

Can you do a pupillage at the employed Bar?

Yes. The BSB registers pupillages with Authorised Education and Training Organisations in the employed sector, including Express Chambers. This ensures you receive a fully structured, funded and regulated training pathway that meets the same high standards as any traditional chambers pupillage.

What organisations make up the employed Bar?

The employed Bar includes public bodies like the Crown Prosecution Service and the Government Legal Department, as well as corporate in-house legal teams. It also encompasses modern, SRA-regulated law firms that operate integrated advocacy teams, such as Express Chambers, providing high-level representation within a firm setting.

How does the employed Bar differ from the self-employed Bar?

Employed barristers receive a guaranteed, competitive salary and employee benefits, operating within an integrated team structure. In contrast, self-employed barristers are sole traders who must manage their own billing, overheads, chambers rent and tax affairs, often working with less administrative support.

How do employed barristers manage their duty to the court alongside their employer?

All barristers are bound by the BSB Code of Conduct, which mandates that their primary duty is always to the court. This professional ethical duty remains identical for both employed and self-employed barristers, ensuring that you maintain complete independence in your legal advice and advocacy work.