law law commonly known simply member order english bar position law centuries old dating identify descended figures france prior oldest formally created order england having brought existence body henry_ii order rose 16th century small elite group lawyers took work central common law courts creation queen counsel queen counsel extraordinary reign elizabeth order gradually began decline monarch opting create king queen counsel exclusive jurisdictions ended 19th century act coming force felt need figures created law purely law lord centuries exclusive jurisdiction lawyers allowed argue case time rights audience central common law courts bench pleas precedence lawyers law judges courts right 19th century socially ranked companions bath law distinct orders particularly favoured law king premier monarch favoured king oldest created writ summons great seal realm wore special distinctive dress chief feature white lawn silk represented round piece white lace wig history early history history law goes century argues law existed large portion law formed agrees supporting norman writ approximately identifies law directly descending norman known members order initially meeting place standing near counsel sought advice makes reference writing law wise ben rich excellence great reverence wise justice patent science high fees robes order certainly existed reign henry_ii created dozen moved order existence realm recorded fact oldest created order order created law existed ireland appointed letters patent similar way claimed trial king assisted bench known approximately recorded period saw regulation statutory power suspend enacted chapter exclusive jurisdiction law held slowly came size bar consistent group reappeared period began called regular groups individually date felt appropriate rise 16th century law small highly respected powerful elite alive occasions number law england years created time clearly distinguishable branch legal profession thought work actually created separate group lawyers normally argued court occasionally allowed lawyers help special cases lawyers known outer utter confined outer bar court allowed act passed bar law despite holding monopoly cases took business bench required common pleas principal place work evidence worked entirely creation known westminster common pleas located time great judicial success appointed common law courts sat pleas court equity period time success profession overall despite business rise central courts common pleas allowed lawyers gain advocacy experience work drawing away time handle business common pleas allowing rise dedicated advocates decline abolition decline law started persuaded elizabeth appoint queen counsel extraordinary new creation gave precedence formal creation granted patent appointment james saw fit finally award creation queen king counsel initially small james created charles following english restoration increased appointed year largest change came appointed average year following approximately created year average time new queen counsel created reduced importance junior took precedence senior appointments law king king granted patents precedence gave superiority victorian era saw decline appointments rule common law judges chosen judge appointed immediately judge lord issued mandate opened pleading followed years successfully petitioned queen invalid enjoyed returned status years parliament intervened practitioners common pleas act august allowed practice final blow act came force november section provided common law judges need longer appointed law removing need appoint judicial act rise queen counsel longer need appoint practice ended equivalent irish rank law ireland survived irish spent second half career english bar matter courtesy addressed organisation inn inn restricted law operated locations known inn abandoned fleet street pulled 18th century lane pulled inn voluntary association joined appointed required rarely including members judiciary noticeably smaller unlike private establishment similar gentlemen club existed rented 16th century main inn burnt great fire london rebuilt end finally came fallen state unable obtain renewal lease abandoned property returned dean property lane consisted hall dining room library offices law inn originally known inn named master rolls known inn possession property known newly promoted pay 19th century promoted solely judicial office pay hall large room hung portraits famous judges law windows containing coat arms distinguished judge room coats arms given descendants inn finally sold abandoned location sole residence demise order act way support inn sold remaining accepted judicial normal process called order law stayed fairly constant traditional method discuss prospective candidates recommendations chief justice common pleas pass names lord chancellor appoint new intended provide way select possible judges period political rampant judges making sure political seen provide neutral judiciary traditionally appointed writ directly king writ issued great seal realm required elected qualified law state degree law newly created assemble hear speech lord chancellor lord chief justice given purse gold placed head required swear oath serve king people law shall truly counsel retained shall delay causes willingly money thing turn profit shall attendance accordingly help god new feast celebrate gave rings close friends family mark occasion king lord chancellor figures received rings major courts suspended day judges leaders occasionally king attend inn big occasion instead gradually declined importance 17th century small held recorded feast fourteen new raised robes traditional clothing law consisted later adapted worn judges cut colour varied records king judges instructed wear robes scarlet green purple ordered wear new required robes scarlet brown blue time order came end formal robes red recalled end days order black silk everyday court red gown worn certain formal occasions cape originally worn separately gradually way uniform described cape main order distinguished cape worn judges worn court advocates main symbol law order comes white silk lawn obliged cover presence king judge passing death sentence situation wear black cap intended cover confused introduced judges caused difficulty allowed cover got adding small white cloth wig representing king queen king queen law appointed serve crown legal adviser monarch government way attorney general england wales reign female monarch represent crown court acting prosecutors criminal cases representatives civil ones higher powers ranking lower courts solicitor general king worked legal advisers house_of_lords allowed act cases crown harm heavily punished creating tax avoidance scheme wear black narrow strip white unlike white normal king required swear second oath serve king people king people law swear king favoured king premier oldest known king precedence status rights audience history law king advocates given rights audience 17th century order precedence bench gave priority motions court privilege immune normal forms lawsuit sued writ held extension servants sued common pleas performed judicial duties fines exchange privileges expected certain duties firstly represent anybody asked regardless ability pay secondly small number judges serve deputy judges hear cases judge available law judges common law courts rule came 14th century king bench extended pleas 16th century apply court equity law social privileges ranked companions bath wives right addressed lady way wives king counsel judge retain social privileges cream legal profession earned higher fees normal order precedence came attorney general introduction king counsel state affairs came end result changes firstly reign james royal patent gave attorney general precedence king secondly attorney general time solicitor general politically junior attorney general king reflect political reality attorney general superior king remained order law finally died literature main character novels lawyer law reign king henry viii england
Serjeant-at-law