Law Weblog

Nice work if you can get it…

It is reported in The Lawyer that over 10 barristers are earning more than £2m a year.
As many as 30 barristers – including at least one who is not yet a QC – earned in excess of £1m.
Most commercial sets of chambers have barristers consistently earning over £750,000
Those earning over £500,000 are easy to find.
The average income of counsel in the top 30 sets reached £332,000.
Hourly rates for commercial silks range from £350 to £2,500.
Daily rates in court can reach £10,000 but more likely to be £3,500-£6,000.
It is also believed that Lord Grabiner QC and Gordon Pollock QC earned £3m last year. £2m earners include Christopher Carr QC; Iain Milligan QC; Geoffrey Vos QC.

The figures are in stark contrast to the earnings of barristers doing legal aid work, where £40,000 is considered a good salary. It is growing evermore likely that barristers will refuse legal aid briefs because their rates of pay have been pegged for eight years.