FAQ

This website aims to make briefing equitable by implementing the cab-rank rule in its purest and intended form.

It aims to achieve this by allocating briefs to the next barrister in the queue matching the requirements of the solicitor.

Equitable briefing can only be achieved if solicitors and barristers collectively accept this process rather than the process of solicitors selectively briefing barristers.

If solicitors are concerned that the barrister they brief through this site is not capable or suitable for the matter, they should trust that the relevant barrister will follow their professional rules and inform the solicitor as such. In such circumstances, the barrister is obliged to return the brief.

A barrister enters details relevant to their profile, the dates that he/she is available for hearings and similar details and then enters the queue. On entry, the barrister is pushed to the end of the queue.

A solicitor then drafts and submits a request for a brief. The solicitor specifies the hearing dates (if any), the practice areas, the minimum number of post admission experience required and the daily fee range they are prepared to pay. The request by the solicitor is then pushed to the end of another queue.

Periodically, a matching algorithm is executed. It takes the first barrister at the front of the queue and then checks whether he/she matches any of the queued requests (iterating from oldest submitted request for a brief to the newest). On a match, the barrister and the solicitor’s brief request are then removed from their respective queues and the solicitor & barrister are notified by email. This is repeated until there are no more possible matches.

For each match, it is up to the solicitor to formally brief the barrister by sending him/her a backsheet, agreeing on a retainer, obtaining monies on trust and addressing any other relevant briefing requirements of the barrister.

If a match is not acceptable, the solicitor can re-submit the request or close the brief. If it is re-submitted, future attempts to match will omit any barrister(s) previously matched. On a brief being re-submitted, the barrister will have to re-enter his/her availability as such dates are not automatically reinstated as being available. There are presently no restrictions on solicitors re-submitting brief requests, however, if this feature is abused then we may intervene pursuant to our unfettered discretion and disable/limit such feature for the relevant solicitor going forward.

No fees are presently charged.

We reserve the right to change this in the future, but we presently have no such plans to do so.

It is intentional by design.

The website is designed to be fast, lightweight and adaptable. It is designed so that it can be readily improved from time to time.

Contrary to our preferences, very limited CSS is used.

Only essential cookies are used on this site. There are no other cookies used.

In relation to brief requests and matches, no information is shared with third parties. It is only shared with the persons having the email addresses noted in the brief matches.

However, and notwithstanding our preference to never share information with third parties, you will appreciate that there will be circumstances at law where we are compelled to share information with third parties. We have attempted to address such circumstances in our terms and conditions.