Are there apprenticeships for barristers?

Asked by: Molly Glover  |  Last update: August 16, 2022
Score: 4.4/5 (42 votes)

Pupillage is the 12-month period you spend in chambers training in becoming a barrister. You can think of it as a barrister's training contract equivalent.

How do I train to be a barrister UK?

A barrister must first complete Academic Training—meaning a law degree or an unrelated degree followed by a conversion course (or Graduate Diploma in Law). Instead of training in a law firm like a solicitor, a barrister candidate will take the Bar Course Aptitude Test (BCAT) and, if successful, join an Inn of Court.

How do I become a barrister without a law degree UK?

You don't need to have studied law to become a barrister – but it will mean an additional qualification if you did do a different subject. You will have to complete a conversion course or Graduate Diploma of Law (GDL) before you can complete the qualifications/stages outlined for law students.

How many years does it take to become a barrister UK?

Becoming a fully-fledged barrister takes five years - including three years for your law degree, one year for a Bar course and a one-year pupillage in chambers.

How much do barristers earn UK?

Qualified barristers in private practice with around five years' experience can earn anything from around £50,000 to £200,000. For those with over ten years' experience, earnings can range from £65,000 to £1,000,000.

An Overview of Legal Apprenticeships | My Legal Career

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What does a junior barrister earn?

Successful junior barristers doing work supported by legal aid – be that criminal or civil – can earn under £20,000 a year. Some juniors in this field may struggle to make enough money to live on, and certain chambers whose juniors have low earnings offer them interest-free loans to cover costs.

What GCSEs do I need to be a barrister?

You'll usually need: 4 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) or equivalent, including maths and English.

Is becoming a barrister worth it?

Being a barrister can be immensely satisfying in that it offers an opportunity to provide the specialist knowledge that can assist a client in obtaining their desired result, and therefore make a real difference to their lives. You are offering advice and representation to clients at a very stressful time.

WHAT A levels do you need to become a barrister?

A levels – To get on to a law degree you will usually require a minimum of two A levels, with three A levels and A grades needed for the most popular courses. Entry requirements range from BCC to AAA, with the universities and colleges most commonly asking for ABB. It is not a requirement to have A level law.

How hard is the bar exam UK?

The Bar is competitive, but it is by no means impossible. Outside of London is probably infinitely easier than within. It's impossible to quantify how hard it is though, but just take it that loads and loads of really good people struggle intensely to get pupillage!

Is it too late to become a barrister?

No, you have not left it too late to become a barrister or get work experience. Age wise you're not old at all. Plenty of barristers have previous careers and are into their 40s or beyond when they secure pupillage. In terms of age it is very common for new pupils to be more towards 30 than their early twenties.

How do I become a barrister without going to uni?

'If you haven't got a law degree you're just as able to be creative as someone who has, so it's an area where non-law graduates often thrive. ' Non-law graduates will face one extra step on the way to the Bar: a conversion course, known as the graduate diploma in law (GDL) or common professional exam (CPE).

Can you become a barrister without A levels?

There are no specific A Levels that you need for a career in Law, however traditional academic subjects such as history, English and the sciences will challenge you academically and stretch your research and analytical skills which will be useful for your future.

How do I become a barrister in 2021 UK?

To become a barrister, you have to complete either a:
  1. Qualifying law degree (with 2:2 (hons) as a minimum); or.
  2. A non-law degree (with 2:2 (hons) as a minimum) and a law conversion course such as the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL)

Is it difficult to become a barrister?

The process of becoming a barrister is not complex to understand. Almost anyone can get into Bar School, provided you have a 2:2 and can pass a straightforward entrance exam. The tough part of landing yourself a pupillage and then tenancy. The Bar offers one of the most challenging career paths out there.

Do you need to be a solicitor before becoming a barrister?

Things to Bear in Mind

The road to becoming a barrister will be difficult and with less security at the end of the road, especially as you must obtain pupillage like any other student. This may sound like a daunting experience, but many do make the move from solicitor to barrister after years of working as a solicitor.

What does LLB stand for?

Bachelor of Laws (abbreviated as LL. B., LLB, or rarely Ll. B.) is an undergraduate law degree. In most common law countries (with the exceptions of all Canadian provinces except Quebec, and the U.S.), the LL.

Is a barrister higher than a solicitor?

Barristers can be distinguished from a solicitor because they wear a wig and gown in court. They work at higher levels of court than solicitors and their main role is to act as advocates in legal hearings, which means they stand in court and plead the case on behalf of their clients in front of a judge.

Is A-level law hard?

A-Level Law doesn't need much extra time to understand the content, as it's already fairly straightforward. As long as you have a good memory and some common sense, you should find A-Level Law fairly easy. Of course, there are a few exceptions, but in general most students find this A-Level easy.

Are barristers rich?

Barristers in chambers do not have salaries; they are self employed. That means that they get paid for the work that they do, and if they are not working (for example, if they are on holiday) they do not get paid. So it is not the case that you will pick up a set monthly amount as a barrister.

Are barristers happy?

Only 47% of barristers feel generally content with their working lives, a report for the Bar Council has found. A similar proportion, 45%, felt they could “cope with the competing demands” of their job in terms of workload.

Do barristers work long hours?

Meanwhile, 27% of criminal barristers and 33% of family barristers revealed they work in excess of 60 hours a week. This is compared to 17% of civil and 16% of commercial/chancery barristers. Across all practice areas, 22% of barristers said they clocked up more than 60 hours a week, up from 13% in 2013.

WHAT A levels are good for law?

Which A-Levels to Take if You Want to Study Law
  • English. English is typically regarded as a good A-Level to take if you want to study law. ...
  • History. ...
  • Politics. ...
  • Languages. ...
  • Maths. ...
  • Sciences. ...
  • Geography, Religious Studies, Music, Philosophy, Economics. ...
  • Law.

Do law firms look at GCSEs?

Baker McKenzie: “As with GCSE grades, A-Level grades form part of the selection criteria for many firms. We look for around 340 UCAS points as a benchmark and use a contextualised recruitment system to understand each candidate's achievements in the context in which they have been gained.

What GCSEs are good for law?

A minimum of 5 GCSEs, including level 4 or C grades in maths, English and science, are typically necessary to study law at A-level.
...
Some of the most beneficial GCSEs to consider include:
  • English Language.
  • Maths.
  • Science.
  • History.
  • English Literature.
  • Geography.
  • a modern foreign language, such as French or Spanish.