How we engage with barristers & counsel - our point of difference!

We are not passive as lawyers and do not simply out-source our litigation client work to barristers, as is typical some aspects of the legal profession.

However, we do use barristers in Australia and internationally for our clients when required.

We partner with our barrister colleagues to ensure that strategies, research, resources are maximised, but cost efficiencies maintained.

Our firm will engage barristers when required in litigation or appearance work. For minor appearances and directions, typically we appear ourselves or use agents to minimise costs.

Our senior partners will devise and continuously evolve your litigation and dispute resolution strategy, using barristers as specialists in the key aspects of the litigation to ensure that the process is not only cost effective for our clients but to maintain accountability and responsibility, directly to the client

Typical barristers fees

As a very basic guide, barristers may charge the following amounts (excluding GST and in $ AUD)

Queens Counsel- Senior Counsel: $1,000 per hour plus

Senior Barrister: $600 per hour

Junior Barrister: $350-500 per hour

For daily court fees a barrister will charge the hourly fee for 5 to 8 hours. For example,

Queens Counsel- Senior Counsel : $8,000 - $10,000 per day

Senior Barrister: $5,000 per day

Junior Barrister: $3,500 per day

NOTES: For some types of matters like legal aid, motor vehicle accident insurance and workers compensation there are rates which proscribed by statute or in the case of legal aid by the agency procuring the work such as legal aid New South Wales.

In relation to appearances by counsel, there are often systems of suggested fees which are given by the courts as a guide to what solicitors should charge in relation to their work.

What is a Senior Counsel- Queens Counsel?

Commonly referred to as “seniors” to distinguish between themselves and so called “junior barristers”

The title of senior counsel or state counsel (post-nominal letters: SC) is given to a barristers in some countries that were formerly part of the British Empire. "Senior Counsel" is used in current or former Commonwealth countries or jurisdictions that have chosen to change the title "Queen's Counsel".

A second usage, prevalent in the United Kingdom (which retains the separate and distinct Queen's Counsel title for barristers) refers to a solicitor who is senior and autonomous, but is neither a partner nor on the career path to partnership.

The rank of senior counsel has also been introduced in most states and territories of Australia, even though the Queen remains head of state.

Between 1993 and 2008 all Australian jurisdictions except the Northern Territory replaced the rank of Queen's Counsel with that of senior counsel.

However, in 2013 Queensland restored the rank of Queen's Counsel and there was talk of other Australian states following this approach.

A formal difference is that QCs receive a warrant signed by the relevant State Governor, who is the formal representative of the Head of State, whereas SCs receive a certificate issued by the relevant Bar Association or bureaucracy such as by the judicature of the State Supreme Court.