Barristers Paid Like Baristas Spur Trial Lawyers to Quit

For the more than 15,000 trial lawyers in England and Wales -- better known as barristers -- the days of plentiful work and rewarding fees are on the wane.

Government cuts to legal aid are putting pressure on their income and new competitors are eating into their work. The changes are occurring as the number of barristers reaches an all-time high with more than four times as many members of the profession as 40 years ago, according to Bar Council statistics.