Is pupillage hard to get?

Asked by: Onie Leffler DDS  |  Last update: December 26, 2022
Score: 5/5 (15 votes)

Pupillages are notoriously difficult to secure and are often a source of frustration for many budding barristers looking to take the next step in their legal career.

How do you get good at pupillage?

12 tips on how to secure pupillage
  1. Keep trying, even if you receive no offers. ...
  2. If you can't find pupillage, go to a law firm. ...
  3. There's a reason why pupillage interviews can seem strange. ...
  4. Make your application stand out from the crowd. ...
  5. Explain why you've chosen this chambers. ...
  6. Mini-pupillages are great.

Is pupillage paid in UK?

How much will I be paid? In January 2021 the BSB announced the new minimum pupillage awards. Pupils in London will receive £18,960 per year, while those outside the capital will earn a minimum of £16,601. Chambers often pay more than the minimum but awards will vary between chambers and practice areas.

How many pupillage interviews are there?

First: Most sets of chambers hold two rounds of interviews before making offers of pupillage. There are thus three filter-points.

How many Pupillages are there in the UK?

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today published an updated report on the impact of COVID-19 on pupillage places at the Bar of England and Wales. The report shows that there were 386 pupillages registered with the BSB in 2020.

Top Tips for getting PUPILLAGE

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Do you get paid during pupillage?

What do we Offer? The grant paid during the first year's pupillage will be £40,000.00 which will include £10,000 of guaranteed earnings in the second-six practising period of pupillage. Pupils will receive annual travel cards and appropriate travelling expenses outside London will be reimbursed.

Can you become a barrister without pupillage?

Court Advocate

This is a legal job barristers without pupillage are eligible to apply for, and it's essentially the same as a barrister role. As a court advocate, you are given instructions to attend court and advocate on behalf of your client.

How do you pass a pupillage interview?

6 Must Prepare for Pupillage Interview Questions
  1. How well do you know your application. You can be certain that your CV and cover letter will be scrutinized in more details during the interview. ...
  2. Showcase your advocacy skills. ...
  3. Case study question. ...
  4. Why a career in law. ...
  5. Why a career at the bar. ...
  6. Why this set of chambers.

What do you wear to a pupillage interview?

Our sources agreed there are three options for women interviewing for training contracts or pupillages: a skirt suit, a trouser suit or a plain dress with a jacket. In every case the jacket has to button up comfortably. If your top and bottoms don't match, at least make sure colours and fabrics don't clash.

What can I expect at a pupillage interview?

Typical pupillage interview tasks

Many chambers will give you a legal problem or question when you arrive that you must prepare to present in the interview: you might need to produce a short piece of written work that you will then be questioned about. prepare to argue a point as part of a formal advocacy exercise or.

Can a 2.1 be a barrister?

Your career at the Bar

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.

What is the minimum pupillage award?

The Bar Standards Board (BSB) has today announced that the rate for the minimum pupillage award that will apply from 1 January 2022 will be £19,144 for 12-month pupillages in London and £17,152 per annum for pupillages outside London.

How competitive is becoming a barrister?

A career at the Bar is highly competitive. Every year, around 1400 students graduate from the BPTC course (soon to be the Vocational Component of Bar Training), – each of them having paid close to £20,000 in tuition fees – and chase after one of just 400 available pupillages.

How do you survive pupillage?

The relationship you have with your clerks is fundamental to a good self-employed practice. They will be your rock throughout pupillage, but more importantly your future career at the Bar. During pupillage and beyond, be reliable, be punctual and above all, be communicative.

When should I apply for pupillage?

As a rule of thumb, you should apply for pupillage at least a year before you wish to start (ie, in January 2023 for a pupillage beginning in September 2024). You can apply to up to 12 Gateway member chambers (but as many non-member chambers as you like). There is no clearing period.

How do you land a pupillage?

Get a clear idea of the application and interview process before you apply.
...
  1. Gain Work Experience. Mini Pupillages. ...
  2. Choose a Barristers Chambers. To choose a barrister's chambers, you have to have some idea as to what area of law you want to pursue. ...
  3. Submit Applications. ...
  4. Prepare For Interviews. ...
  5. Accept an Offer and Prepare.

What questions should I ask a barrister?

Interview Questions for Barristers:
  • What methods do you use to conduct legal research? ...
  • What information is required when presenting legal opinions? ...
  • What techniques do you use to provide advocacy for a client in court? ...
  • Can you tell me about a time when a case did not go the way you expected, and why?

How do trainee solicitors dress?

Wear a tailored suit in a neutral colour. Conservative leather shoes or heels, cleaned and polished. Don't wear casual clothing like flip flops, collared t-shirts or summer dresses.

What do lawyers wear UK?

Sharp suits and ties for men; suits or blazer and trousers and knee-length skirts for women, all in classic and serious colours such as black, brown, grey or navy.

Why should we give you Pupillage?

A pupillage interview is a test of how well you can tailor your skills, qualifications and experiences to demonstrate the skills required of a good barrister. You need to know your past achievements (and failures) inside out, and then think about how they can address the skills that a barrister needs.

How do you answer why do you want to be a barrister?

Why I Want to be a Barrister
  1. I work for myself. ...
  2. Linked to the above, I want control over my practice. ...
  3. I enjoy the camaraderie. ...
  4. I enjoy the vocational element. ...
  5. I enjoy the flexibility. ...
  6. My job is endlessly interesting. ...
  7. There is always the opportunity to improve. ...
  8. There are negative reasons as well.

Why do you want to be a solicitor?

There is no point explaining your passion for human rights or achieving social justice if you are being asked this question by a commercially-centred firm, for example. Instead, address the specific interests or skills you possess that make you want to be a solicitor in this firm or area of the law.

Is BPTC difficult?

The first thing to know about the BPTC is that it is not particularly hard, but it does require a fair amount of hard work. The work itself is not conceptually difficult, but there is lots of it to get through. If you treat it like a 9-6 job, and throw in the occasional evening or weekend working, you will be fine.

How many barristers went to Oxbridge?

A privately educated elite continues to dominate the legal profession, as new Sutton Trust figures show 78% of barristers have Oxbridge qualifications, while the figure is 74% for the judiciary and 55% of solicitors.

How difficult is it to become a barrister?

The path to becoming a barrister is very challenging and competitive. Aspiring barristers can come from any degree discipline and they will need to undertake additional training and study after they leave university.