Queen's Counsel and Barrister
Barristers are divided into Queen’s Counsel and Junior Counsel.
When a barrister becomes a QC, he/she is said to ‘take silk’, after their silk gowns.
On the direction of the Bar Council they are no longer termed ‘Barrister-at-law’, simply ‘Barrister’.
The letters QC are placed after the name of Queen’s Counsel while they are at the Bar, or after appointment to the Circuit Bench. They are not used after the names of High Court judges or persons holding other higher legal appointments.
Queen’s Counsel may also be appointed from the ranks of solicitor advocates or (honoris causa) distinguished academic lawyers.
