Have you ever noticed the pouch on the back of a barrister’s gown?

Legend had it that it was originally a purse into which refresher fees would be deposited to keep Counsel on their feet. This ties in with the notion that a barrister is not entitled to sue for their fees.

The High Court in Birmingham recently considered a case where a barrister sought to sue their instructing solicitor for non-payment of fees.

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://lawmark.uk/2021/11/01/patently-due/