How Barristers Charge Their Fees

How much does a barrister charge?
How does a barrister charge for attending court?
Is a barrister required to agree his fees in advance for attending court?
For other kinds of work, is a barrister also required to agree his fees in advance?
How does a barrister fix the level of "the Brief", "the Refresher" and "the hourly rate"?
Is a barrister entitled to be paid his brief fee if a case in which he is instructed to attend court is settled or adjourned?
What about any entitlement to refresher fees if a case is settled or adjourned or if the hearing is shortened?
Is a barrister entitled to be paid any fee if he is asked to mark his diary and reserve an available date for a case?
Can a barrister sue a solicitor or lay client to recover his outstanding fees?
Is there a mechanism to resolve the dispute relating to a barrister's fees?
Are a barrister's fees negotiable?
What should I do if I find the barrister's fees to be exorbitant?
How do I know if the fees quoted by a barrister are reasonable?
How do I find out the qualifications and experience of a barrister?
Normally, if a solicitor considers a barrister's fees to be excessive, he should either instruct someone else or try to negotiate down the intended barrister's fees. In exceptional cases, where the fees charged are grossly disproportionate to the work undertaken, a complaint can be made to the Bar Council. It is a disciplinary offence for a barrister to charge an unreasonably high fee.