Becoming a Barrister - Lincoln's Inn

The Bar is formed of a wide range of practitioners from varied backgrounds and offers a hugely rewarding career. The route to the Bar can be challenging, but Lincoln’s Inn provides guidance and support to members who decide this path is for them.

Six Lincoln's Inn barristers discuss their lives before the Bar and their subsequent journeys into the legal profession, challenging the traditional perceptions of who a barrister is and the journey it takes to get there.

Download the Lincoln’s Inn Guide to Becoming A Barrister

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Route to the Bar

If you wish to become a Barrister in England and Wales there are several steps you will have to complete, including becoming a member of one of the four Inns of Court.

Step 1: Complete an undergraduate law degree or a non-law degree followed by a Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL).

Step 2: Become a member of one of the four Inns of Court (Lincoln’s Inn, Middle Temple, Inner Temple, or Gray’s Inn). You must become a member of an Inn at least 12 weeks before you are due to start your Bar course, although you may join earlier. For more information see Joining the Inn.

Step 3: Complete your Bar Course and ten Inn of Court Qualifying Sessions (QS). The Bar Standard’s Board key statistics may be helpful to you when choosing which Bar course provider to study with.

Step 4: Once you have completed your Bar Course and all your Qualifying Sessions, you can be Called to the Bar.

Step 5: Once you are called, you must complete 12-18 months professional training, known as pupillage, in a chambers or other approved training organisation.