Let me tell you about the junior criminal Bar.
The most brilliant students (who could choose perhaps to be economists, bankers or doctors) decide they want to practice criminal law. They often make this choice because they have a passion for justice & civil liberties. 1/ https://twitter.com/braisbyi/status/1245979981538308096

These bright young things generally study for 4 or 5 years, then a few, the very best, might obtain pupillage. During this year of apprenticeship they will be given a small bursary (paid for collectively by already qualified, self-employed barristers). 2/

However, after 6 years of study, most are in enormous debt.
If they are deemed the very best at the end of their pupillage, they will be taken on as qualified ‘junior’ barristers & will do the most basic of criminal work until they gain experience & build a reputation. 3/

The sort of work they might do will range from a Magistrates’ Court trial (where the fee might typically be £150) to a 2-day Crown Court trial (where the fee might be £700). From these gross fees must be deducted professional expenses (Chambers rent etc), travel costs & tax. 4/

Generally, a junior barrister might take home 50% of the fees they earn. So, the £700 fee for the 2-day trial becomes £350 or £175 a day. That doesn’t take into account the hours or days spent preparing the case for trial. There are then the smaller or ineffective hearings. 5/

The trials aren’t usually back-to back. Between them are all the other hearings. Bail applications, sentencing hearings etc. Sometimes one can do more than one or two a day. Sometimes not. These pay about £100. The barrister takes gone half, remember. 6/

The ineffective hearings are worse. The junior might have been up half the night preparing a trial, wading through unused evidence, planning cross-examination & speech. Yet, frequently, there is a problem with the trial: no Court time; a missing or unwell witness etc. 7/

In these circumstances, the barrister will be paid an appearance fee, which varies, but averages about £100 (until very recently, it was £46.50). They have no other work & the hole in the diary might not be filled for a day or two.
Do the maths. 8/

It is often said (when taking into account preparation time & 90 hour weeks), that criminal barristers earn less than the minimum wage. I have seen this to be true. These are the brightest & the best, remember? After 6 years of study & sometimes several years of practice. 9/

Yet these bright young things are, virtually without exception, dedicated professionals, prosecuting & defending in Courts up & down the land, the backbone of our World-renowned & much-admired justice system - the guarantors of our democratic freedoms. Give them due respect. End/