145-151 Church Street
Dublin 7
* to consider, report upon and make representations as it considers necessary in all matters affecting the profession;
* to play a key role in the conduct and arrangement of the business of the profession;
* to control and regulate the professional conduct of the members of the Bar; and,
* to secure and protect the interests of the profession.
Barristers provide specialist advocacy and advisory services in a wide variety of areas and in many different types of forum, including the courtroom, and in other dispute resolution forums such as arbitration and mediation. Barristers are trained to be both independent and objective. They are readily accessible and are typically instructed by a solicitor.
Barristers do not provide the normal administrative services which a solicitor would provide. There is a strong relationship of trust and respect between the Bar and the solicitors' profession based on the experience that each has for the high standards of the other. This traditional relationship allows barristers and solicitors to give their client the very highest standards of advice and representation. It also enables the justice system and the courts to have trust in the standards observed by the members of the legal profession appearing before them.
The Bar of Ireland's "Look into Law" Transition Year Programme is an exciting initiative aimed at increasing students' awareness of the work of The Bar of Ireland and to encourage students to consider a career as a barrister. This annual "Access all areas" programme aims to encourage schools and students from a wide cross-section of society to apply to take part.
The Look into Law programme takes place each February with the application process opening the preceding October for four weeks. Applications received outside of this time will not be accepted.
The programme is aimed in particular at those who would otherwise have no access to the Bar. To help achieve this, 20% of places are reserved for DEIS schools. 100 places are available with a minimum of 20% given to DEIS schools and the remaining places allocated by a random lottery draw performed by The Bar of Ireland. All schools will be notified shortly after if they have been successful or not. Students can come from Transition Year up to 6th year. Students will be based in The Bar of Ireland, Church Street, Dublin 7 with daily visits offsite which will include the Four Courts, the Criminal Courts of Justice and King's Inns.
Programme Contents
In the mornings, participating students will be assigned to groups where they will shadow a designated barrister. They will be introduced to the many different facets of a barrister's working life and will have the opportunity to experience the reality of life as a barrister.
During the afternoons, the students will participate in a range of different activities and students are expected to attend all organised activities:
Trial viewing
A tour of King's Inns
A tour of the Four Courts
A walk-through of the Criminal Courts of Justice
A talk from a member of An Garda Siochana
A talk from a member of the DPP and a defence solicitor
A talk from a sitting Judge
A talk from a Legal Affair Correspondent
Participate in an interactive Mock Trial
The highlight of the week is the mock trial, held in the Green Street Courthouse, where students participate in a case complete with judge and barristers. This provides the students with a unique, interactive experience where each student is given a role to play in the courtroom including defendant, witnesses and jury members.
Upon completion of the programme, each student is presented with a certificate to mark their participation.