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Barristers are entitled to hold a practising certificate upon their successful completion of pupillage. This is renewed annually and grants barristers the right to practice as barristers. All barristers with practising certificates may work as self employed or employed. The majority are self employed.
2006
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Total barristers in practice
14,890
15,030
15,182
15,270
15,387
15,581
15,585
All practising barristers by gender
Male
9,920
9,924
9,999
10,011
10,033
10,117
10,012
Female
4,970
5,106
5,183
5,259
5,354
5,463
5,412
All practising barristers by ethnicity
BME
1,432
1,466
1,493
1,545
1,564
1,594
1,716
White
11,347
11,421
11,580
11,721
11,885
12,039
12,226
No data
2,111
2,143
2,109
2,004
1,938
1,948
1,643
Self-employed barristers
Self-employed barristers work in chambers (which employ administrative and management staff funded by members' 'rent') or work alone as sole practitioners.
All self-employed barristers This includes sole practitioners and barristers practising in chambers
All self-employed barristers
12,034
12,058
12,136
12,241
12,420
12,674
12,680
Sole Practitioners
Sole practitioners
298
309
351
391
419
427
448
All self-employed barristers by gender
8,381
8,327
8,364
8,443
8,567
8,420
3,653
3,731
3,772
3,860
3,977
4,106
4,117
All self-employed barristers by ethnicity
1,098
1,109
1,132
1,175
1,203
1,235
1,332
9,474
9,489
9,573
9,724
9,907
10,114
10,215
1,462
1,460
1,431
1,342
1,310
1,325
1,133
Employed barristers
Employed barristers are practising barristers who are employed by a 'Recognised Body', either under a contract of employment (e.g with a private company) or by virtue of an office under the Crown (such as the Crown Prosecution Service) or the institutions of the European Communities.
2,856
2,972
3,046
3,029
2,967
2,907
2,708
Employed barristers by gender
1,539
1,597
1,635
1,630
1,590
1,550
1,461
1,317
1,375
1,411
1,399
1,377
1,357
1,232
Employed barristers by ethnicity
334
357
361
370
359
1,873
1,932
2,007
1,997
1,978
1,925
1,874
649
683
678
662
628
623
477
