Are barristers allowed to solicit clients personally?

• A. Direct personal solicitation is generally not allowed; advertising is permitted within ethical guidelines
• B. Yes, always
• C. Only if they are celebrities
• D. Only via agents

Answer: (C)

Direct personal solicitation by a barrister is generally not allowed. The rules aim to protect clients from pressure and to keep the profession focused on merit rather than aggressive self-promotion. Barristers may advertise or provide information about their services in a way that is truthful, non-m misleading, and complies with ethical guidelines. So, a barrister cannot go directly to a potential client to solicit business, but they may engage in permitted advertising and public information campaigns that meet the ethical standards. The idea that solicitation is allowed only for celebrities or only via agents does not reflect how these ethics rules are typically applied; circumventing the ban through an intermediary is not recognized as making solicitation permissible.