One of the most surprising and unexpected news items of the year, if not the century, is the decision of road hauliers and transport company Eddie Stobart to diversify into the field of legal advice. The Stobart Barristers website makes a refreshing change from those of traditional chambers, and presumably the brand image of the underlying business (clean lorries, niftily driven with a view to reaching the desired destination in the minimum of time and at a competitive price) is expected to boost its legal profile too.
This curious development has repercussions for readers of this blog who struggle to earn their humble crust through the practice of intellectual property law: Stobart Barristers is offering legal services in the field of copyright law. At this rate, small and solo IP practitioners may be left with nothing but small cases (below).
The main point they make is that consulting a barrister saves wasting time with a solicitor. IP solos need to fight back by emphasising that they know the law.
ReplyDeleteThe problem is cleary that there is a perception that solicitors do not know the law. There is a famous blogging barrister that likes to advertise on that basis.
ReplyDeleteThere is also the problem of many solicitors (and patent attorneys) running to barristers every 5 mins for their opinion when they should be able to answer the question themselves. I have never considered it necessary to use a barrister for a patent opinion, because I am more than capable of doing the job myself.
When I've used a solicitor for advice (non-IP) they always ask if I want to get a barristers opinion on top of their own.
The UK legal system is clearly an antiquated mess.
Good Luck Eddie! I want to see barristers standing in court with their green T-shirts and jackets.
[one of the posting security words is "gondom". Never heard of those before. Anyone know what they are?]
I wonder if Stobart is in this for the long haul?
ReplyDelete