In New Zealand, all lawyers are at first admitted to the roll as both a “Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand”.  When they have sufficient experience, they choose to practise as a “barrister and solicitor” or as a “barrister sole”. 

 

Barristers generally specialise in court work and do not do transactional work such as conveyancing and do not operate trust account (so cannot hold money for clients).  This work is done by solicitors.

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While barristers can share premises in what are referred to as “chambers” but each barrister maintains a seperate practise

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I practise as a barrister sole.

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Barristers sole may, with a few exceptions, accept instructions only from a solicitor who is (referred to as an instructing solicitor). These exceptions do not apply to most of my practice and therefore I have not sought the approval of the Law Society to accept direct instructions. 

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In circumstances where a client wishes to have me advise and act for them but does not contact me through an instructing solicitor, I am able to assist them in arranging for a solicitor to instruct me.

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