A Day in the Life of a Criminal Barrister

When people think about criminal barristers, they often picture dramatic cross-examinations, intense jury speeches, and fast-paced courtroom battles. While those moments certainly exist, the reality of life at the criminal Bar is often a mix of advocacy, preparation, paperwork, problem-solving, and trying to balance work with everyday life outside court.

Here’s what one fairly typical day looked like for me recently.

7:00am – Starting the Day

The alarm went off at 7am and, like most people, the first challenge of the day was simply getting moving. One thing people don’t always appreciate about life as a barrister is that no two days are ever really the same. Some mornings start with urgent phone calls from solicitors, others involve long drives across the country, and occasionally you are thrown straight into a trial.

This particular morning started a little more domestically.

8:00am – Taking My Wife’s Car for Its MOT

Before court, I took my wife’s car to the garage for its MOT. Hayley absolutely hates going to garages, so this job fell to me. It’s a good example of something people outside the profession might forget; barristers are not living entirely in the world of practitioner textbooks and courtrooms. We still have normal responsibilities, errands, and day-to-day life happening around the work.

By 8am, the car was dropped off and it was time to shift into work mode.

9:00am – Heading to Court

I left for court and used the journey to mentally prepare for the day ahead. Criminal practice often involves switching quickly between completely different types of cases, legal issues, and clients. That ability to adapt is one of the most important skills you develop at the Bar.

9:45am – Conference with My Client

When I arrived at court, I robed and then I met my client for a conference before the hearing. Conferences are an important part of the job and often happen in interview rooms.

This particular hearing was a PTPH. Before going into court, we discussed many things including the allegations, the likely issues the judge would focus on, the client's options, the format of the hearing and how the hearing was expected to proceed.

A large part of criminal advocacy is helping clients understand what is happening. Court can be intimidating, particularly for people who have never experienced the justice system before. A huge part of your role is not just legal representation; it is also about giving clear advice so that your client can give properly informed instructions.

10:30am – First Hearing of the Day

At 10:30am, the first hearing began.

As above, the matter was a PTPH. These are very important hearings as this is a Defendant's first appearance in the Crown Court on a matter. The will generally be arraigned whereby they will either plead guilty or not guilty to matters on the indictment. If a Defendant pleads guilty, the court will then list the matter for sentence. The court would also need to deal with interim orders, the question of bail and whether a pre-sentence report is required. If a defendant pleads not guilty, then the court would list the matter for trial and set out the stage dates in the case. The Judge will want to hear representations on the defence to be raised and how long the trial is expected to last.

One of the realities of criminal practice is that even shorter hearings require preparation and concentration. You have to be ready to answer questions from the judge immediately, respond to the prosecution’s submissions, and protect your client’s position at all times.

11:30am – Attendance Notes & Catch Ups

After the hearing, I had a further conference with my client to ensure that the client understood everything that happened in court and for me to explain the next steps in the case.

I then stayed at court to type up my attendance note, catching up with a few barristers in the robing room along the way.

One thing I do not think people fully appreciate about life at the Bar is the camaraderie that exists between barristers. From the outside, people often imagine the profession as intensely competitive and overly formal, but in reality, the robing room can be one of the most supportive parts of the job.

Criminal courts can be emotionally draining at times. You are often dealing with sensitive allegations, vulnerable clients, distressed witnesses, and high-pressure hearings where a great deal is at stake. Having that network around you, even for a quick chat between cases, makes a genuine difference.

Once the catch-ups were over, it was back to the less glamorous side of the profession: attendance notes.

Attendance notes are incredibly important. They create a written record of what happened in court, the advice given, the outcome of the hearing, and any future action required.

Good attendance notes are an essential part of professional practice, even if they rarely make it onto legal dramas on television. It provides the solicitor (and you as the advocate for future reference) with a clear record of what happened in the court and the next steps to be taken.

12:00pm – Lunch and Speed Mooting Work

At lunchtime, I met my wife at Wetherspoons for some food and a catch-up.

Like many barristers, the working day rarely stops entirely. Over lunch, we also caught up on some work relating to Speed Mooting and some of the projects and events we are currently working on.

One of the things I enjoy most about balancing practice with legal education is the variety. Advocacy in court is obviously a huge passion of mine, but helping aspiring lawyers build confidence and practical skills is equally rewarding.

1:30pm – Back to Court

After lunch, it was time to head back to court for the afternoon hearing list.

Afternoons can sometimes feel unpredictable in criminal courts. Cases move around, hearings overrun, and advocates are often juggling multiple matters at once.

2:00pm – Second Hearing

The second hearing involved what the advocates and the Judge initially expected to be a fairly straightforward mention to make an amendment to a previous order made by the court.

Like many things in criminal practice, however, matters are rarely as simple as they first appear.

As the hearing unravelled, what was listed as a short procedural hearing quickly developed into a detailed legal argument between myself and the prosecutor regarding statutory interpretation and the scope of an order.

One of the realities of advocacy is that you must always be prepared for a hearing to evolve unexpectedly. Even cases labelled as “straightforward mentions” can suddenly require you to think on your feet, respond to legal arguments with little warning, and carefully analyse legislation in real time.

It was a good reminder of something every junior advocate eventually learns: never underestimate any hearing listed in the court diary. The five-minute mention can sometimes become the most legally complex part of your day.

3:00pm – Meeting About an Exciting AI Project

After court, I met back up with my wife and we attended a meeting with developers regarding an exciting AI project we are currently working on.

Technology is starting to play a much bigger role in legal education and advocacy training. There are huge opportunities to use AI tools to help aspiring lawyers practise skills, receive feedback, and build confidence in a more accessible way.

It’s still early days, but it is an area we are incredibly excited about.

4:00pm – Heading Home

By 4pm, we finally headed home.

People often assume barristers finish when court finishes, but the reality is that a large amount of work happens outside the courtroom itself. Preparation, paperwork, emails, drafting, and administration all continue long after hearings end.

4:30pm – More Attendance Notes

Once home, I completed the attendance note for the second hearing.

It can be tempting to leave paperwork until later, but experience teaches you that getting attendance notes completed promptly is usually the best approach while everything is still fresh in your mind.

5:00pm – Dinner and a Brief Switch Off

At 5pm, I had some dinner and spent a little time watching television.

One of the biggest challenges in legal practice is learning how to switch off, even briefly. Advocacy can be mentally demanding, particularly when dealing with serious allegations or emotionally difficult cases. Finding some balance matters.

7:00pm – Preparing Cases for Thursday

The evening was then spent preparing my cases for Thursday.

Preparation is everything in advocacy. The public only sees the few minutes you spend standing up in court, but those moments are built on hours of reading, analysing evidence, considering legal arguments, and planning how you will present the case.

A well-prepared advocate is usually a calmer and more effective advocate.

9:00pm – Finished for the Day

By 9pm, the work for the day was finally done.

Days at the criminal Bar can be unpredictable, demanding, and sometimes exhausting. But they are also incredibly rewarding. No two days are the same, and that variety is one of the reasons so many people are drawn to criminal practice in the first place.

For aspiring barristers, it’s important to understand that the profession is about much more than dramatic courtroom moments. It’s about preparation, professionalism, resilience, communication, and balancing a busy workload with everyday life outside of law.

And occasionally, it’s also about taking your wife’s car for its MOT before court!