The Secret Barrister Book Summary - The Secret Barrister Book explained in key points
Listen to the Intro
00:00

The Secret Barrister summary

The Secret Barrister

Stories of the Law and How It’s Broken

4.2 (25 ratings)
21 mins
Table of Contents

    The Secret Barrister
    Summary of 7 key ideas

    Audio & text in the Blinkist app
    Key idea 1 of 7

    The criminal justice system of England and Wales has its own rules and traditions.

    Even if you didn’t grow up in the United Kingdom, you’ve probably seen a TV show or movie featuring a scene in a British courtroom. You may even have wondered, why are they wearing those peculiar wigs and gowns?

    Like many aspects of the criminal justice system in England and Wales, the gowns and wigs are part of a long tradition going back hundreds of years. Before we get into some of the traditions that may need revising, let’s first look at what this system really entails.

    As in justice systems in many other places, an English or Welsh criminal trial will involve a judge, a jury and the person accused of the crime. Then there are barristers and solicitors.

    Since the fourteenth century, there’s been a distinction made in English courts between the courtroom-based lawyer who presents the prepared cases to the court – the barrister – and the solicitor, the lawyer who deals directly with the witnesses while advising both the barrister and the client. As we’ll see, there are good solicitors who advocate tirelessly on behalf of their clients, and exploitative solicitors who give lawyers a bad name.

    Another important piece of the criminal justice puzzle is the Crown Prosecution Service, or CPS. This is a relatively new addition to the system, established in 1985 with the Prosecution of Offenses Act. Prior to that, the police were responsible for charging suspects with a crime, but in an effort to improve consistency and efficiency in filing charges and preparing cases across all of England and Wales, the CPS was created. Now, every case goes through the CPS machinery for preparation before landing in the hands of the barrister.

    It’s worth noting that, unlike in some other countries, barristers who handle criminal cases, like the author, regularly bounce between serving for the defense and prosecution, sometimes within the same day. This may sound unusual, but in the author’s experience, doing so can make you a better, more well-rounded lawyer. After all, knowing first-hand how both sides of the adversarial process operate can only make you better at knowing what to expect before your case begins.

    Want to see all full key ideas from The Secret Barrister?

    Key ideas in The Secret Barrister

    More knowledge in less time
    Read or listen
    Read or listen
    Get the key ideas from nonfiction bestsellers in minutes, not hours.
    Find your next read
    Find your next read
    Get book lists curated by experts and personalized recommendations.
    Shortcasts
    Shortcasts New
    We’ve teamed up with podcast creators to bring you key insights from podcasts.

    What is The Secret Barrister about?

    The Secret Barrister (2019) takes a behind-the-scenes look at the often chaotic and frighteningly disorganized world of England and Wales’ criminal justice system. As revealed by an experienced criminal barrister, the current system is woefully underfunded and suffering from a lack of resources, yet is also under threat from proposed reforms that would impose further cuts. However, there are some reasonable ways for the system to improve.

    Who should read The Secret Barrister?

    • Students of law and ethics
    • Fans of true crime
    • Advocates for prison reform

    About the Author

    The Secret Barrister is the anonymous pen name of someone with around ten years’ experience working in the criminal justice system of England and Wales, who hopes to make the system more understandable to the average citizen. Their writing has appeared in such publications as the Guardian, the Times and Esquire. The Secret Barrister became a Sunday Times best-seller and was shortlisted for multiple awards.

    Categories with The Secret Barrister

    Books like The Secret Barrister

    People ❤️ Blinkist
    Sven O.

    It's highly addictive to get core insights on personally relevant topics without repetition or triviality. Added to that the apps ability to suggest kindred interests opens up a foundation of knowledge.

    Thi Viet Quynh N.

    Great app. Good selection of book summaries you can read or listen to while commuting. Instead of scrolling through your social media news feed, this is a much better way to spend your spare time in my opinion.

    Jonathan A.

    Life changing. The concept of being able to grasp a book's main point in such a short time truly opens multiple opportunities to grow every area of your life at a faster rate.

    Renee D.

    Great app. Addicting. Perfect for wait times, morning coffee, evening before bed. Extremely well written, thorough, easy to use.

    People also liked

    Start growing with Blinkist now
    28 Million
    Downloads on all platforms
    4.7 Stars
    Average ratings on iOS and Google Play
    91%
    Of Blinkist members create a better reading habit*
    *Based on survey data from Blinkist customers
    Powerful ideas from top nonfiction

    Try Blinkist to get the key ideas from 7,000+ bestselling nonfiction titles and podcasts. Listen or read in just 15 minutes.

    Start your free trial