The question that I and other colleagues (around 7-8 years’ Call at a good London set) at our Chambers have is: is it worth it?

The commenter above has observed the poisoned chalice issue i.e. you can expect to suffer a drop in fee income for at least the first couple of years’ of practice as a Silk.

Largely because:

a) You will no longer receive the senior junior briefs – in those cases, clients have made a decision that the case does not warrant a Silk / they do not want to pay a Silk’s fees;

b) For the cases that do require a Silk, more often than not the client will want to go for an established Silk, not a new one.

Assuming you then survive that period, the reality is this: there are no easy cases as a Silk.

Forget the high-value (unless extremely high-value) cases which are not that legally complex. Almost every case you are instructed in will be legally and factually complex.

Naturally, that means working very hard, and rightly so.

The rewards are great, assuming you build a successful practice as a Silk, but it requires a huge amount of work to reap those rewards. The rewards as a successful senior junior are also significant – and for most people are more than enough to lead an affluent and fulfilling life with financial freedom.

The impact on your social and family life will be significant, more so than as a senior junior.

It seems to me that most counsel at good sets aim to become Silks because, well, we are high-achieving people who always strive for the next bauble of success. Aiming to take Silk is the final step (save for those with intentions of appellate judicial appointment). It seems like the natural course of events for people who have always strived for success, achievement, and let’s face it, affirmation.

But is it worth it? I genuinely do not have the answer to that right now and it’s something I suspect I will continue to wrestle with for many years as my practice grows and the prospect comes into view as a matter of reality.

For now, I think it is good enough to be asking that question, and trying to keep perspective on what’s important and what I want from life, rather than taking it as a given aspiration.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk.