Solicitors operate mainly in large partnerships. Barristers

The traditional work of barristers is advocacy - they present cases in court, where their ability to speak and to think quickly "on their feet" as the evidence unfolds is what they are skilled in. (See Steps to the Bar pages) The barrister will be "briefed" (instructed) by a solicitor - it is the solicitor who first contacts the client and has initial conduct of the case. However, the barrister is to a fair extent independent of the solicitor and can take an independent judgment as to how to conduct the case. Barristers are occasionally advocates in magistrates’ courts (more commonly in London than elsewhere), but they mainly work in the Crown Court (it is possible to have a solicitor advocate but this is still rare), the High Court or in appeal courts.

Related to this advocacy work, barristers also deal with advice on litigation and the drafting of documents ("pleadings") related to litigation.

Most barristers are law graduates and they likewise undergo professional training through a Bar Vocational Course and through a pupillage with a qualified barrister. More senior barristers can apply to become a Quuen’s Counsel ("take silk").

• Barristers are all sole practititoners, but they often share premises ("chambers") and administrative staff.

• Barrister's clerk

• Legal executive (England and Wales)

• Licensed conveyancer

• Solicitor

• Solicitor, Scotland

17,39Higher Education in The u.K.

There are more than 60 universities in the U.K. The leading universities are Cambridge, Oxford and London. English universities differ from each other in traditions, general organization, internal goverment, etc. British universities are comparatively small, the approximate number is about 7-8 thousand students. Most universities have under 3000 students, some even less than 1500 ones. London and Oxford universities are international, because people from many parts of the world come to study at one of their colleges. A number of wellknown scientists and writers, among them Newton, Darvin, Byron were educated in Cambridge.

A university consists of a number of departments: art, law, music, economy, education, medicine, engineering, etc.

After three years of study a student may proceed to a Bachelor's degree, and later to the degrees of Master and Doctor. Besides universities there are at present in Britain 300 technical colleges, providing part-time and full-time education.

The organization system of Oxford and Cambridge differs from that of all other universities and colleges. The teachers are usually called Dons. Part of the teaching is by means of lectures organized by the university. Teaching is also carried out by tutorial system. This is the system of individual tuitio organized by the colleges. Each student goes to his tutor's room once a week to read and discuss an essay which the student has prepared.

Some students get scholarship but the number of these students is comparatively small. There are many sociaties and clubs at Cambridge and Oxford. The most celebrating at Cambridge is the Debating Sociaty at which students discuss political and other questions with famous politicians and writers. Sporting activities are also numerous.

The work and games, the traditions and customs, the jokes and debates - all are parts of students' life there.

It should be mentioned that not many children from the working-class families are able to receive the higher education as the fees are very high (more than L1000 a year). Besides that special fees are taken for books, for laboratory works, exams and so on.

19Election in UK.

There are five types of elections in the United Kingdom: United Kingdom general elections, elections to devolved parliaments and assemblies, elections to theEuropean Parliament, local elections and mayoral elections. Elections are held on Election Day, which is conventionally a Thursday. General elections have fixed dates, and must be called within five years of the opening of parliament following the last election. Other elections are held on fixed dates though in the case of the devolved assemblies and parliaments, early elections can occur in certain situations. Presently, six electoral systems are used: the single member plurality system(First Past the Post), the multi member plurality system, party list PR, the single transferable vote, the Additional Member System and the Supplementary Vote.

Elections are administered locally: in each lower-tier local authority, the actual polling procedure is run by the Returning Officer and the compiling and maintenance of the electoral roll by the Electoral Registration Officer (except in Northern Ireland, where the Electoral Office for Northern Ireland assumes both responsibilities). TheElectoral Commission only sets standards for and issues guidelines to Returning Officers and Electoral Registration Officers, but is responsible for nationwide electoral administration (such as the registration of political parties and directing the administration of national referendums).

21An outstanding person in GB.

Kings and Queens : Queen Elizabeth 1, Queen Victoria, Queen Elizabeth 2

Politicians : Winston Churchil, Baroness Margaret Tetcher

Writers and poets : William Shekspeare, Daniele Defoe, Charls Dickens, Rudyard Kipling, Dame Agatha Christie

Philosophers and Economists : Francis Bacon,

Inventors and Scientists : Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin

Actors and actresses, filmmakers : Sir Charlie Chaplin, Dame Elizabethe Taylor, Alfred Hitchock, Hugh Grant, Orlando Bloom, Kiera Knightley, Daniele Redkliffe

Musicians and singers : Sir Elton John, Phil Collins, George Michael, Robbie Williams

23Main political parts of UK.

Three parties dominate politics in the House of Commons. They all operate throughout Great Britain (only the Conservative and Unionist Party stands candidates in Northern Ireland). Most of the British Members of the European Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales represent one of these parties:

• Conservative and Unionist Party, centrist to right-wing (traditionally centre-right and pragmatic; has always been a diverse and not always harmonious coalition) (306 seats in the House of Commons)

• Labour Party, centrist to Left-wing (traditionally socialist; is now a broad socialist and trade unionist to social liberal and social democratic party) (258 seats)

  • Co-operative Party (all Co-operative Party MPs are also Labour MPs as part of a long-standing electoral agreement)

• Liberal Democrats, centrist to centre-left (heavily influenced by social liberalism). (57 seats)

See also: Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom 2004-2009