A solicitor is usually the first person you call when the police want to speak to you, or after you have been charged with an offence. Solicitors generally prepare your entire case for you, and amongst many other things:
• provide you with legal advice;
• have conferences with you, whether it be in their office or if you are in custody we will visit you in jail;
• draft court documents and letters;
• communicate with the courts, the police, prosecutors and forensic experts on your behalf;
• negotiate your case with police and prosecutors;
• obtain documents including briefs of evidence from the police;
• instruct barristers in court and often appear in court themselves;
• prepare briefs for barristers (i.e all the documents they require to represent your case)
Barristers are a type of lawyer, but their specialty is presenting your case to a Court and providing specialist advice. They are independent from solicitors firms and are self-employed.
