YOUNG BARRISTER'S SUICIDE.

Shannon News, 26 March 1926, Page 4

YOUNG BARRISTER'S SUICIDE.

OVERCROWDED PROFESSION. The tragedy of the clever young barrister who took his life at Stoke, Newington, following worry through having been unable to secure sufficient work, has drawn attention to the overcrowding of the legal profession in England. "The Bar is crowded to an mi/paralleled extent," said a well-known barrister, in commenting on what he called "The Mirage of the Bar." "I have no special knowledge of this case, but some particulars disclosed at the inquest have a painful bearing upon the experience of the older members of the Bar. We are continually , watehing cases of young barristers who, like the dead man, have started with a rush of work but have had to settle down after a short .flutter into the steady and heart-breaking 'wait' which is the normal lot of the barrister. "Modern conditions have immens'ely increased the strain of this experience. The war introduced into the Inns of Court hundreds of ex-officers from the Army who were assisted . from the public funds to get 'called' to the Bar. Many of them have passed into the public service, but those who have remained in the profession are finding the greatest difficulty in keeping going." The barrister continued: "Not only does the competition become keener, but the glamour soon wears off, and the realisation that the necessary qualities are not possessed is a bitter experience. It is becoming increasingly clear that unless the barrister has'the makings of an advocate he is out of place at the Bar. You have only to listen to some of the attempts in the to understand how past neglect, uncorrected by natural aptitude, is goting to be responsible for a good deal of disappointment. '' Further, changes are inevitable in the relations between the two branches of the legal profession. The inclusion of solicitors from courts in which the right of audience is >at pres'ent restricted to the Bar, is neither desired by the public nor approved by up-to-date requirements. "On the other hand, the enforced intervention of the solicitor between the lay client and counsel in numberless small cases on both the civil and criminal sides is unwarranted, and involves needless expense on the citizen which he cannot be expected to tolerate much longer. "These and other practical considerations make the choice of the Bar as a profession a greater lottery than ever and this unfortunate case should make a good many aspirants pause."