Read the text. Say whether the statements following the text are true (T) or false (F). England is almost unique in having two different kinds of lawyers, with separate jobs in the legal system: barristers and solicitors. The training and career structures for the two types of lawyers are quite separate. The traditional picture of the English lawyer is that the solicitor is the general practitioner, confined mainly to the office. If a person has a legal problem, he will go to a solicitor and seek his advice in a personal interview. They deal with all the day-to-day work of preparing legal documents for buying and selling houses, making wills, writing legal letters, they do the legal work involved in conveyancing, probate, divorce. Solicitors work on court cases for their clients outside the court: in a civil action solicitors have the right to speak in the lowest Courts. To qualify as a solicitor a young man joins a practising solicitor as a “clerk” and works for him whilst studying part time for the Law Society exams. When you have passed all the necessary exams, you may apply to the Law Society to be “admitted”, then you can start business on your own. It is not necessary for you to go to university. Barristers specialise in representing clients in court. A barrister can only be consulted indirectly, through a solicitor. Thus they are not paid directly by clients, but are employed by solicitors. Most barristers are professional advocates but it is a mistake to regard a barrister entirely as an advocate. A barrister must be capable of prosecuting in a criminal case one day, and defending an accused person the next. A would-be barrister must first register as a student member of one of the four Inns of Court. A student must pass a group of examinations to obtain a Law degree and then proceed to a vocational course, the passing of which will result in his being called to the Bar. Barristers are experts in the interpretation of the Law. They advise on really difficult legal matters. So barristers spend a lot of time at paper work apart from their actual appearances in court where they wear wigs and gowns in keeping with the extreme formalities of the proceedings. Judges are usually chosen from the most senior barristers, and once appointed they cannot continue to practise as barristers.
1. The division of the legal profession is of long standing and each branch has its own characteristic functions.
2. The training and career structures for the two types of lawyers are quite the same. 3. Solicitors specialize in representing clients in courts.
4. A barrister can only be consulted indirectly through a solicitor.
5. Barristers are paid directly by the clients.
6. A barrister is regarded to be an advocate.
7. In court, barristers wear wigs and gowns in keeping with the extreme formalities of the proceedings.
8. Judges are chosen from the most senior barristers and they can continue to practise as barristers.
9. Barristers are experts in the interpretation of the Law.
10. Solicitors spend a lot of time at paper work apart from their actual appearances in court.

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