The difference is all about the right of audience in the court.
Solicitor is not allowed to appear in the High Court (Court of first instance/Court of appeal/Court of final appeal), but a barrister.
For example: If the case (Always a serious offence/claim, the penalty is likelihood to be more than 7 years of imprisonment/more than 1 million of claiming amount in a civil case)is put before a high court judge, the accused/respondent must be defenced/responsed by a barrister through a solicitor.
Both solicitor and barrister are able to handle criminal/civil case, it depends on how serious the case is.
P.S a solicitor will not named as barrister even if he works in this field for years.
2007-01-24 01:19:08 補充:
基本上係一樣,但係律師可以係一d新仔/大律師就係一d已經好有經驗--WRONG律師:處理文事案件/大律師:處理刑事案件--WRONG兩者唔會做對方之案件,如有需要佢地會將d案件彈比對方--It depends.律師是負責處理雜務上的事宜 如:離婚遺產承辦樓宇買賣的文件手續--More categories can be handled by solicitor, including criminal case.
2007-01-24 01:19:24 補充:
大律師是負責打官司--Its true,but...如離婚上有贍養費的問題出現,樓宇踢契,爭產等, 雖要由法庭去處理誰是誰非--These matters can be handled by solicitors.