Barristers’ Ball is an annual event held at CWSL and most law schools including common countries such as Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. It is a semi-formal affair, usually held in March, conduced by yours truly, the SBA. It is a school-wide gathering and is often referred to as a “law school prom” given the timing and style of the event.
The Committee generally begins meeting in October to begin preparations for the March event. If you are interested in becoming a part of the Barristers’ Ball Committee please contact the SBA Vice President Weston Penfield.
A Short History Lesson – What is a Barrister?
In the common tradition, the respective roles of a lawyer—that is as legal adviser and advocate—were formally split into two separate, regulated sub-professions, the other being the office of solicitor. An often-used (but not entirely accurate) parallel is the medical profession, in that a solicitor, like a general practitioner is the regular point of contact for a client, who will only be referred to a barrister (or, to continue the metaphor, a consultant) for specialist advisory or advocacy services. There is no difference in the level of complexity in the practice of law by the different branches of the profession, though barristers tend to be instructed in complex litigation and in certain other specialist fields.
Historically, the distinction was absolute, but in the modern legal age, some countries which had a split legal profession are now characterized by having a fused profession; all persons entitled to practice as a barrister are also entitled to practice as a solicitor, and vice versa. In practice, the distinction may be non-existent, minor, or marked, depending on the jurisdiction. And in others, Scotland and Ireland for example, there is little overlap. Excerpt from Wikipedia