BAR?

Cróga

What does BAR mean and why do you have to become a member of this to practice law in Ireland?

Victor

A "BAR" is a M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, a light machine gun, primarily used by the Americans in WWI and the Korean War. People, except those in tanks, will respect you if you have this.

"The Bar" is essentially the professional organisation for barristers. If you want a certain level of respect in court, being a barrister is useful. However, they aren't the only type of lawyer in Irish courts. You also have solicitors, who are members of the Law Society. Think of a solicitor like your GP and the barrister a hospital consultant. Being a barrister will normally get you lots of respect in legal matters and certain upper-class bars in central Dublin and the strip from Ballsbridge to Killiney.

Tom Young

Victor wrote: »

A "BAR" is a M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, a light machine gun, primarily used by the Americans in WWI and the Korean War. People, except those in tanks, will respect you if you have this.

"The Bar" is essentially the professional organisation for barristers. If you want a certain level of respect in court, being a barrister is useful. However, they aren't the only type of lawyer in Irish courts. You also have solicitors, who are members of the Law Society. Think of a solicitor like your GP and the barrister a hospital consultant. Being a barrister will normally get you lots of respect in legal matters and certain upper-class bars in central Dublin and the strip from Ballsbridge to Killiney.

I could decide to take offence to this - but why, it's hilarious!

freefromgov

I never thought about it but I will try to find out ..... Well the guys that post here should know for deffo...... What do you say guys want to save me the time and effort of looking ?
I have heard this term bandied about for years but never gave it any thought ...I mean is it an Iron Bar.....a Mars Bar?...... A Public Bar ??..... Does it stand for something ??? .... as in do the letters stand for something ??....B = ? A = ? R = ? ............... Hymmm!!!
I'll have a bash.......
Don't the guys that practice law do so "from the bar" ??? not sure but I'll enjoy finding out

Tom Young

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bar_(law)

One should not believe everything one reads on Wikipedia, but I think this is not too far off!

Bar in legal contexts can have multiple meanings, but most originate from the bar in a courtroom. Quite simply, the bar is a railing or barrier that separates the front part of a courtroom - which includes a judge's bench and tables where attorneys or barristers conduct matters before the court - from the back part of the courtroom where observers are permitted to sit.[1] Although many courtrooms do not have an actual railing or physical partition that serves as a bar, most courtrooms have an imaginary barrier that separates the judges and attorneys doing the business of the court from the laypersons watching the court in session.[2] As such, the bar represents a division of labor that separates professionally licensed or certified lawyers from those without that professional status. The term "the bar," therefore, is a metonymy that collectively describes all lawyers licensed or certified to practice law in a given court or jurisdiction.[1] The term is also used to differentiate lawyers who represent clients ("the bar"), from judges or members of a judiciary ("the bench"), although the phrase "bench and bar" denotes all judges and lawyers collectively.[2] In the United States, when a lawyer has met the regulatory requirements in a certain jurisdiction for licensure to practice law , he or she is "admitted to the bar." In the United Kingdom, a barrister or Queen's Counsel (or advocate in Scotland) is "called to the bar" if admitted to one of the Inns of Court (or Faculty of Advocates in Scotland).[2] A lawyer who gives up his or her license to practice law as a sanction for wrongdoing is said to be "disbarred."

freefromgov

Interesting ...but as you said yourself Wiki ???? So I'll go digging around and see what else I can find........ I love a good treasure hunt !
As far as I can tell it seem to date back to arround the 1600's I' keep ya'll posted.....

Jev/N

freefromgov wrote: »

Interesting ...but as you said yourself Wiki ???? So I'll go digging around and see what else I can find........ I love a good treasure hunt !
As far as I can tell it seem to date back to arround the 1600's I' keep ya'll posted.....

relax with the punctuation!

dats_right

I'm not a barrister so I will never be 'called to the bar' rather as a solicitor I am 'admitted to the Roll', but nonetheless can confirm that the former phrase originated from the bar in a courtroom and that, at least in this instance, wikipedia is right.

MrMicra

Victor wrote: »

Think of a solicitor like your GP and the barrister a hospital consultant. Being a barrister will normally get you lots of respect in legal matters and certain upper-class bars in central Dublin and the strip from Ballsbridge to Killiney.

That is total rubbish. Think of a Solicitor as a Professor of medicine at Trinity and a barrister as a mystic healer. The claim that Barristers are specialists is by and large rubbish. There are a few specialists (in pub licensing and planning) but by and large they take what they can get. There are many many more solicitors who actually specialise in one area of the law.

One could argue that all barristers are specialists in advocacy and litigation but that is nonsense because hospital consultants don't all specialise in the one thing.

Better analogy:
A solicitor is like a doctor and a barrister is like a psychologist or psychiatrist.

McCrack

I don't agree. I use the GP/Consultant analogy when explaining to people.

I say this simply because like those medical people clients/patients do not have direct access to Barristers/Consultants but must first see a solicitor/GP.

It's an easy analogy for lay people to see. It doesn't mean barristers are better or more superior lawyers; they are simply the other side of the legal coin.

I mean a lot of people think our wigged friends are the higher rank and I've been asked by clients whether I want to become a Barrister in the future!, as if it's some sort of promotion.

No thanks.

Tom Young

Ah go on, you'd look great in a horsehair wig!

freefromgov

I see that ye are describing what being in/on or of the Bar actually is. Ok! I get that but what the original poster asked remains unanswered.
Which was what is the Bar? and does it stand for something? as in is it an acronym for something or does it definitely relate to some metal our wooden bar.

Victor

freefromgov wrote: »

as in is it an acronym for something or does it definitely relate to some metal our wooden bar.

It isn't an acronym.

I've not seen many court rooms, but there is typically a timber "fence" (with a top bar) between the front an back.

Look at the one here with the little doors in it http://www.miwd.uscourts.gov/COURTROOM%20TECH/judge_bell%27s_courtroom.htm

And there is a stone one here: http://www.hcgs.net/courtroom.html

Remmy

Hi this is coming from a lay-person so please dont take any offence to it but would a solicitor not aspire to representing someone in court?I would see that convincing the jury,and the different things associated with a standing up in court and fighting your clients case to be the main draw in the legal world.What motivates a Solicitor to be the best?

I'm by no means downplaying solicitors its just my opinion.Maybe this is the 'Hollywoodised' view from seeing lawyers in movies.Im starting a law degree and I have enormous respect for both parties.

nuac

Pls people do not form a view of any part of the Irish legal system on what you see in US TV or films on their legal system.

freefromgov

Thanks for the response Victor, but are you sure thats what the BAR is ? or are you guessing ? I only ask because, I don't see how Barristers can be members of a bar !
If it just means a piece of wood or stone etc. I mean how could a bit of wood or stone grant them the ability to do what they do. That just doesn't sound right not to me anyway.
I'll have to keep digging I reckon.
Are there any Barristers that post here that could clear this up ?

Tom Young

Yes: -

As such, the bar represents a division of labor that separates professionally licensed or certified lawyers from those without that professional status. The term "the bar," therefore, is a metonymy that collectively describes all lawyers licensed or certified to practice law in a given court or jurisdiction. The term is also used to differentiate lawyers who represent clients ("the bar"), from judges or members of a judiciary ("the bench"), although the phrase "bench and bar" denotes all judges and lawyers collectively.

nuac

Freefromgov - perhaps you are winding us up?

Victor

freefromgov wrote: »

Thanks for the response Victor, but are you sure thats what the BAR is ? or are you guessing ? I only ask because, I don't see how Barristers can be members of a bar !

And how can golfers be part of a club? Would that be a iron or a wood or a handle?

Jocksereire

so what does BAR stand for? if youre a member of the B.A.R. what does this acronym stand for??

Jev/N

Jocksereire wrote: »

so what does BAR stand for? if youre a member of the B.A.R. what does this acronym stand for??

Have you not read any of the previous posts?? It's not an acronym unless you're talking about an automatic rifle...are you?

dats_right

This thread has become farcical, perhaps it is time for the mods to consider locking it?