ɐdmˈɪɾᵻd tə ðə bˈɑːɹ ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti nˈaɪn, bˈɑːɹwɛl bˈɪlt ɐ səksˈɛsfəl lˈiːɡəl pɹˈæktɪs wˌɛɹ hiː spˈɛʃəlˌaɪzd ɪn dᵻfˈɛndɪŋ mˈɜːdɚ sˈʌspɛkts ænd bɪkˌeɪm ɐ pɹˈɑːmɪnənt fˈɪɡjɚɹ ɪnðɪ ˈædəlˌeɪd ɪstˈæblɪʃmənt.
Admitted to the bar in 1899, Barwell built a successful legal practice where he specialised in defending murder suspects and became a prominent figure in the Adelaide Establishment.