▁lawyer ▁( us ually ▁a ▁bar r ister ▁or ▁advoc ate ) ▁who ▁is ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁monarch ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁" Her ▁Majesty ' s ▁Coun sel ▁learned ▁in ▁the ▁law ." ▁The ▁term ▁is ▁recogn ised ▁as ▁an ▁honor ific . ▁App oint ments ▁are ▁made ▁from ▁within ▁the ▁legal ▁profession ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁mer it ▁rather ▁than ▁a ▁particular ▁level ▁of ▁experience . ▁M embers ▁have ▁the ▁privile ge ▁of ▁sitting ▁within ▁the ▁bar ▁of ▁court . ▁As ▁members ▁wear ▁sil k ▁g own s ▁of ▁a ▁particular ▁design ▁( see ▁court ▁dress ), ▁appointment ▁as ▁Queen ' s ▁Coun sel ▁is ▁known ▁inform ally ▁as ▁taking ▁sil k , ▁and ▁hence ▁Q C s ▁are ▁often ▁col lo qu ial ly ▁called ▁sil ks . ▁ ▁The ▁rank ▁emer ged ▁in ▁the ▁six teenth ▁century , ▁but ▁came ▁to ▁prom in ence ▁over ▁the ▁course ▁of ▁the ▁nin ete enth . ▁App oint ment ▁was ▁open ▁to ▁bar r ister s ▁only ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 5 . ▁The ▁first ▁women ▁K C s ▁had ▁been ▁appointed ▁only ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 5 1 , ▁ 2 0 ▁people ▁were ▁appointed , ▁all ▁of ▁them ▁men . ▁▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁▁ 2 2 ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁▁ ▁Source : ▁The ▁London ▁Gazette , ▁ 2 5 ▁April ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁( no . ▁ 3 9 5 2 4 ), ▁p .