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A future pupil barrister who set up a fundraiser asking the public to help pay his bar school fees has been “overwhelmed” by its success after donations toppled over £10,000.

Lewis Dean, a final year law student at Exeter University, began the GoFundMe page after receiving a family law pupillage offer from Magdalen Chambers, a mixed set in the South West, and not having the means to fund his bar training course nor being successful in any scholarship applications.

Since it was set up in April 2023, Dean has raised £11,376 of his £16,000 target, and has even caught the attention of anonymous bar blogger The Secret Barrister as well as top KCs.

“I am humbled,” Dean told Legal Cheek. “It’s strange to put your story out there in the hope that people find it inspiring and donate to your cause. I’ve received over 300 donations which is truly overwhelming.”

He said that he personally thanks all his donors as part of his bedtime routine, leaving them a little note expressing his gratitude.

On his page, Dean recounts his journey to get to this point hasn’t been “plain sailing”. He grew up in a council house and was state-educated, leaving school with only “a handful of GCSEs”. His mother died after a short battle with cancer when he was 17, and unable to continue living with his step-father, he moved into accommodation, provided by the local authority, with his younger brother.

He started working and became a nanny in 2012, saving to pay through his A-Levels, which he completed part-time. With the help of savings, work and student finance, he started his law degree in 2020 at the age of 30.

The next step on the budding barrister’s journey is to complete the bar training course, which he has decided to do at BPP University in Bristol. It costs £14,800, and he speaks of his frustration there is currently no government-funded financial support to cover the cost, without adding a master’s on top. Plus he has to factor in living costs and additional expenditure on bar qualifying sessions, for example, even though he plans to continue working whilst studying.

“The journey for aspiring barristers is incredibly competitive and challenging, especially for those from low-income backgrounds,” said Dean, who told us he has written to the Bar Standards Board on the matter.

For now, Dean is “nervous but excited” about starting the bar course in September before embarking on pupillage. His areas of interest include domestic violence and divorce, having seen the “whole make-up of a family” in his work as a nanny. “I hope to use the experiences I have gained over the years to help children and families in the South West,” he said.

You can donate to Dean’s cause here.

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In the latest instalment in our Career Conundrums series, an aspiring barrister seeks readers’ advice after bagging their first pupillage interview.

“Hello Legal Cheek. I am in my second application cycle for pupillage and have just been offered two first round interviews at mixed civil sets. I’m quite nervous as these are the first I have secured. I’d value any advice and tips on what to expect. Thank you in advance”

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Ahead of Legal Cheek’s ‘Pupillage application masterclass’ next week, panellist and barrister at Gatehouse Chambers, Clare Anslow, offers her advice to those seeking pupillage.

Anslow completed her undergraduate degree in philosophy at Durham University before completing her law conversion and barrister training courses with the intention of gaining work experience before applying for pupillage. Now a barrister at Gatehouse Chambers, formerly Hardwicke, Anslow specialises in property law. Over a decade on from being called to the bar, she reflects upon her career and shares five tips for students interested in following a similar career path.

1. Be pragmatic about the chambers you choose

“Mediocre applications are never going to serve you well”, notes Anslow, who believes that “you are much better off doing fewer applications and doing them well”. Yet with chambers offering limited pupillage places every year, the temptation to apply everywhere can seem tempting. Therefore, Anslow recommends that when applying to a chambers, look at the previous tenants, going back five to six years. She recommends looking at not just their university or grades, but who they are: their interests, for example, and seeing whether these align with yours. Further, Anslow recommends attending events and asking chambers what they look for in prospective pupils, and if this does not align with you, expanding your research into different chambers to ensure that you apply to the one you could build your career at.

2. Experience is useful, but the lessons learnt are vital

Anslow previously worked as a legal caseworker, as after completing the bar training course, she wanted to gain some practical work experience as she admits: “I wasn’t ready and didn’t think I would be any good [as a barrister]”. But she acknowledges that, although useful for her, work experience is not a prerequisite, and the type of experience is of limited importance in applications. What is important is “showing what you have learnt” from any experience, noting that mooting, being a paralegal and even taking a gap year travelling are all valid examples of experience.

3. Know the chambers and what they stand for

A common mistake for most first-time applicants is copying and pasting answers to the question, ‘why this chambers?’ and only changing the chambers name (which chambers can easily spot, apparently). So, to be successful you need to know specifically why you are applying to that set. For example, Anslow notes that due to Gatehouse’s stance on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI), chambers decided to change its name from Hardwicke to Gatehouse. If applicants didn’t know about the name change, or the reasoning behind it, this would suggest a lack of interest or research into chambers and impact their application, she says.

4. If at first you don’t succeed, try again

Rejection is never easy, with Anslow acknowledging that it “doesn’t mean you aren’t good, you just haven’t quite hit the mark yet”. With her even noting that there is “always an element of luck which you can’t account for”, which although small, could mean that an application which would have been successful the previous year, isn’t this year through no fault of your own. Therefore, perseverance is an essential skill during pupillage applications. If unsuccessful in the application stage initially, Anslow recommends casting a critical eye over your submission and realising where it is you can improve. Also, make a note of chambers’ recruitment criteria, which should be displayed on their website, and check that your answers are hitting the criteria. This a great way to improve your chances of success as written applications are often marked against this criteria.

5. Explain your argument

Interviews are testing your knowledge of the law, advocacy, and ability to deal with interruptions, explains Anslow. However, if “you don’t hit the nail on the head legally, but explain your position, that is better than if we challenge you on your position and you fold”, she adds. Anslow imagines interviews as a type of advocacy, as you aim to market yourself to a chambers. Similarly, if you become a barrister, advocacy will form an essential part of your role, therefore being able to successfully represent yourself shows the chambers your ability in the future to be able to represent clients, as the interview is about the chambers seeing your potential as a barrister.

Clare Anslow will be speaking alongside other barristers at ‘Pupillage application masterclass — with Gatehouse, Henderson, Landmark, Radcliffe Chambers and 2 Temple Gardens’, a virtual student event taking place on Tuesday 24 January from 4-6pm. You can apply to attend the event, which is free, now.

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The Bar Council is looking into the possibility of embedding contextual recruitment tools onto the Pupillage Gateway in a bid to make it easier for chambers to take applicants’ backgrounds into account when recruiting.

In an inaugural speech delivered at Middle Temple yesterday evening, incoming chair Nick Vineall KC revealed the Bar Council is “actively exploring” ways of making these often expensive tools more affordable for chambers.

This, Vineall KC said, may include allowing access to such systems as an “add-on” to the Pupillage Gateway, the centralised portal which allows chambers to post and manage pupillage vacancies.

Middle Temple Hall has filled up for the inaugural speech of our new chair Nick Vineall KC. We’re delighted @attorneygeneral @Michael4MDNP @neill_bob & Mike Freer MP have joined us on the front row! pic.twitter.com/U0uvWB8g3K

— The Bar Council (@thebarcouncil) January 10, 2023

The 4 Pump Court barrister went on to give the example of two candidates who both achieved a first from the same university but have slightly different A-Level grades — A*AA and A*A*A, respectively.

“[P]erhaps the first candidate, with the slightly weaker grades, comes from a home background where academic excellence is not highly regarded and went to an under-resourced and overstretched school,” Vineall KC explained. “[T]he second went to a well-resourced and highly academic school and comes from a family where academic excellence is celebrated.”

“Then the position might well be that the first candidate is more likely to thrive in your chambers than the second,” Vineall KC added. “Contextual recruitment tools can help that type of judgement to be made.”

Contextual recruitment systems have been long-favoured by City law firms, however uptake among chambers remains comparatively low.

One example, run by London-based recruitment agency Rare, pulls data from two databases (school/college results and UK postcodes) and combines this information to place candidates’ accomplishments in context. In 2019, Twenty Essex became the first chambers to adopt a tool in an effort to attract applications from candidates from non-traditional and more socially diverse backgrounds.

Applying for pupillage? Join us for a virtual pupillage application masterclass with Gatehouse, Henderson, Landmark, Radcliffe Chambers and 2 Temple Gardens, on Tuesday 24 January. Secure your place.

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Applying for pupillage can be daunting and is certainly challenging. You will need to approach the application process in a careful and considered manner. This brief guide sets out some pointers to help you increase your chances of a pupillage offer.

Where to apply

The obvious starting point is to identify the chambers which specialise in the practice areas you are targeting. The Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 rankings are good places to begin your search. It is generally helpful to consult chambers’ websites but bear in mind that these can include wide areas of expertise so read with a discerning eye. Pay particular attention to any information given on the areas of work involved in pupillage. These are a good indicator of the core areas of work at the chambers in question.

If you are looking to find out more about a particular chambers, there is no substitute for going directly to the source and talking with barristers at that chambers about their core areas of work. You can do this by attending pupillage fairs, open days or outreach events, and of course by undertaking mini-pupillages. This should allow you to get a better sense of what chambers do and what they are looking for.

Think carefully about how many chambers to apply to and which chambers are your priority. Remember that good applications take time and effort. Be realistic about your qualifications and experience and tailor the chambers you apply to accordingly. Do not be dissuaded from aiming for a particular chambers if you judge that you are in a position to make a competitive application.

Passing the paper sift

This is the first test of your written advocacy. Craft your written applications carefully. Remember that your object is to persuade the reader to invite you to interview. Make every effort to ensure your applications are written in a clear, concise, and convincing fashion.

Each application you make should follow the basics of persuasive written submissions. Answer the questions you are being asked. Make sure your answers are well structured and coherent. Where you assert that you possess qualities or interests, provide evidence to substantiate those assertions. For instance, if you say that you are an accomplished advocate, give examples of mooting, public speaking, or other advocacy experience to support this. If you have particularly impressive achievements or experience then be sure to highlight these at the appropriate juncture.

Tailor each application you make to the individual chambers you are applying to. Generic or insufficiently specific applications tend to be easily identified and quickly discarded. To avoid this fate, you need to do your research. Delve into the detail of chambers’ websites and other available resources. Look for any information on pupillage criteria, seek out articles and blogs (advice from recent pupils can be particularly helpful), and read up on notable cases that members of chambers have been instructed in. Focus your application on the qualities and experience that the chambers in question is looking for. Build in references to cases, articles, and/or other matters that barristers from that chambers have been involved in.

Remember that the reader will likely only have a few minutes to look over your application. Ensure your answers are direct and to the point. Read over your application to check you are happy with your answers. Then ask someone else to double check that there are no obvious mistakes. Make sure that the reader is not given any excuse to doubt the quality of your written advocacy.

Impressing at interview

Making it to interview is an accomplishment in itself. You should take confidence from any and every invitation to interview you receive. The challenge is then to impress at interview. Interviews are tricky and unpredictable. There is no golden formula for success. With that said, your general aim should be to present yourself as competent and engaging.

The first stage is to prepare as best you can. Re-familiarise yourself with basic legal principles. For example, if you are applying to a civil and commercial chambers it is a good bet to brush up on your basic contract and tort law. Keep an eye on legal issues in the mainstream media and notable cases in the practice areas that the relevant chambers specialises in. This is especially important if members of that chambers are involved in these issues or cases and/or if you declared an interest in these issues or cases in the course of your written application. Think about the questions you are likely to be asked and prepare answers for those questions as far as you can.

The second stage is to perform at interview. Clearly this is a highly pressurised situation but try to relax as far as possible. Answer the questions you are asked directly. If you have prepared an answer for a question that comes up, take the opportunity to impress with both hands. Unexpected questions will come up, do not be afraid to take a little time to think over your answers and explain your thought process where relevant. Remember this is not only a test of your oral advocacy but also your ability to work both for and with the barristers who are interviewing you. If you are considered and self-aware, this will stand you in good stead.

Do not be overly disheartened if an interview does not go as well as you would like. The more interviews you attend, the better you will get. You may find it useful to keep a record of questions you were asked at interview and think about how you could have answered those questions with hindsight. There may be overlap between questions asked at different interviews and in any event, thinking about how to answer interview questions is valuable practice for the next time you are put on the spot.

The importance of resilience

Resilience is a key skill in applying for pupillage, and indeed at the bar in general. You are very likely to face some level of rejection at the paper sift and/or at interview. You will need to take this in your stride. Look for feedback where this is available, assess for yourself where you think you can improve, and then put these improvements into practice as far as possible.

All the very best of luck!

Matthew Bignell is a barrister at Devereux Chambers, practising in all of Chambers’ main areas of work, with a particular emphasis on employment, tax, commercial litigation, and personal injury. Matthew’s chambers profile is available here. Find out more about Devereux Chambers here.

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Harrison Denner had always wanted to become a barrister. Whilst many students are torn as to which path to follow, barrister or solicitor, the thrills of the academic rigour of the bar, and the independence of being self-employed helped him to make up his mind from an early stage.

He describes his early career journey as fairly unimaginative. He read law at Oxford University before completing an LLM at UCL and then the BPTC (as it was then) at The University of Law. During his time at university, he was involved in debating, volunteered at a legal clinic, and also dabbled in mooting. He filled his spare time by serving as president of both his college’s Junior Common Room (undergraduate student body) and Lawn Tennis Club.

It seems that Denner was as set on practice areas as he was on the bar generally. He knew from an early stage that commercial law was right for him, having enjoyed his contract and commercial law modules during his undergraduate degree. His decision to focus on commercial law was reaffirmed to him through completing around eight or nine mini-pupillages — more than he considers was necessary looking back. He decided to complete an LLM to further his academic knowledge and give him a competitive advantage in pupillage applications. Rather than completing an outright commercial law masters, however, he instead decided to complete a general masters to “avoid putting all of his eggs into the commercial basket” — though he did predominantly select commercial modules.

When it came to making pupillage applications, Denner describes the entire process as “tough and very time consuming”. He didn’t have any family or friends who had been through it and so had to figure the process out largely for himself. Henderson Chambers, a leading civil set, stood out to Denner due to its commercial strengths as well as the range of work that it offers — the set does everything from product liability (for which it is the top set in the country) to environment law. He had also completed a mini-pupillage at the set and had been impressed by how friendly everyone was.

Denner tells us that, going into the pupillage application process, you must inevitably be prepared for lots of rejection. He unfortunately didn’t secure pupillage the first year he applied but was offered his pupillage at Henderson the second year of applications. Finding himself with “a year to kill” in between the two application rounds, Denner decided to work as a corporate paralegal at US firm Simpson Thatcher’s London office, something which he feels boosted his applications the second time round as it gave him “something to talk about at interview and also helped develop soft skills in a professional environment”. Looking back on the two application years now, he concludes that the big difference between his applications was that they were much more structured the second year. He backed up any claims he made with evidence: for example, rather than just stating his interest in commercial law, he used the commercial modules from his LLM and his paralegalling experience to demonstrate this. Clearly it worked as Henderson gave him an offer to begin pupillage in 2017.

When asked how he found pupillage, Denner responds saying that it was “enjoyable”. He went on to explain that it is obviously an intense year: “you can’t get away from the fact that it is a year-long assessment”. He says, however, that he has heard stories from friends at other sets which make him very grateful that his pupillage was at Henderson. Throughout the year, he didn’t feel overworked, and was always supported by his supervisors and other members of chambers. He received prompt feedback on work and was clear about what he was doing right and what he needed to improve. Like other pupils at the set, Denner started to take on his own cases in his second six, something which helped prepare him for tenancy. He also completed a secondment in the Turks & Caicos, something which all pupils at the set are offered, and which he describes as “amazing”. Whilst it was a busy year, Denner says he “looks back on it fondly”. Henderson was supportive throughout and they eased the journey into tenancy, which Denner was offered.

Now four years into tenancy, Denner has a broad practice, especially focusing on product liability and commercial litigation. He says it is not unusual for tenants at Henderson to take on a variety of work across different practice areas, as well as to work on a mixture of bigger, led cases, and smaller cases as sole counsel. For Denner, the opportunity to get into court when working unled is one of the biggest advantages of being at Henderson: “at bigger, pure commercial sets, you might not get this smaller work. That might seem like a strange thing to complain about, but it would mean you wouldn’t get into court as often. And that’s what being a barrister is all about”. He tells us that he is typically in court around three times a week. He had his first big trial last summer, where he was led by a silk in chambers. The trial, which was about rubber seals in cars, lasted three weeks and was “an incredible experience” — especially as they won the case!

There is certainly a steady stream of work for the juniors at Henderson. Denner says that he has never had to worry about not having enough work. Equally, he does not feel overworked. He says he typically works 40 to 50 hours a week, which is quite impressive for the bar. He typically won’t work weekends or late into the evening but there are inevitably crunch periods. A big advantage of commercial work is that there is usually a fair amount of lead-up time before a hearing, giving good time for preparation. He remains very happy at Henderson, continuing to benefit from the supportive environment and social events organised by the set.

Looking back to his pupillage application years, Denner tells us that “they felt like a lifetime at the time” but that in the long-run it is absolutely worth it. His three top tips for those applying this year are: first, when writing your application, treat it as a piece of written advocacy. Ensure that it is structured, and that you provide evidence for every claim. Second, when it comes to interviews, try and be relaxed. Acknowledging that it is easier said than done, Denner says it is important as it allows you to show your human side. Ultimately, those on an interview panel need to want to work with you. Finally, Denner says to stick with the application process. Even if you are not successful the first time, keep trying as it is worth it in the end. “Being a barrister is the best job in the world,” he gushes.

Harrison Denner will be speaking alongside other barristers at ‘Pupillage application masterclass — with Gatehouse, Henderson, Landmark, Radcliffe Chambers and 2 Temple Gardens’, a virtual student event taking place on Tuesday 24 January from 4-6pm. You can apply to attend the event, which is free, now.

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The Pupillage Gateway has officially reopened for another round of applications and there’s no better time to check out the 2023 edition of Legal Cheek‘s ever-popular Chambers Most List.

The latest version features key stats and insider info for over 40 leading chambers across England and Wales, making it the go-to resource for aspiring barristers.

Pupillage seekers can benchmark sets on a range of criteria including pupillage award and gender stats as well as the number of Oxbridge-educated new tenants.

Plus continue to an individual chambers profile to read an analysis of what they’re like as a place to work in The Legal Cheek View and Junior Barrister Survey Scorecards. The What the junior barristers say section also provides prospective pupils with a snapshot of life in chambers through the eyes of a junior tenant.

In addition to all this, the profiles include those all-important application deadlines for pupillage and mini-pupillage opportunities as well as other recruitment initiatives hosted by a chambers. These feed into our Key Deadlines Calendar and sync with our iPhone and Android apps so you can get alerts delivered directly to your phone.

Join us for a virtual pupillage application masterclass with Gatehouse, Henderson, Landmark, Radcliffe Chambers and 2 Temple Gardens, on Tuesday 24 January. Apply now.

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A bar disciplinary tribunal has found that a pupil barrister passed off work done by other members of chambers as his own.

No practising certificate may be issued to Mr X until 14 December 2025, the tribunal ruled in a decision that is open to appeal. He will also have to undertake a further six months pupillage.

On 12 May 2021, Mr X is said to have submitted a skeleton argument that was part of an advocacy exercise. This document, according to the tribunal, had already been submitted by another pupil back in 2018. Mr X accessed this document by searching the emails of the head of pupillage committee without their knowledge or consent.

Several days later, Mr X submitted a draft opinion that had been taken from another member of chambers and a pupil. Further, on 1 June, he submitted a draft letter in response to a letter of claim that had again been taken from a member of chambers and a pupil, having obtained their work without their knowledge or consent.

All three exercises were used for the purposes of assessing his capability within pupillage.

On 4 June 2021, Mr X told the head of the pupillage committee in a meeting that he hadn’t seen a draft letter written by a member of chambers before preparing his own.

The tribunal found that Mr X knew this statement to be false, and in all four circumstances had “failed to act with honesty and with integrity” and “knowingly misled or attempted to mislead” the other parties in each case.

In addition to the delay in the issuing of a practising certificate, Mr X was ordered to pay costs of £1,800.

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The war to attract the very best wannabe barristers has stepped up a gear in recent months with many leading sets opting to increase their pupillage awards for future intakes.

The award at XXIV Old Buildings for 2024 now sits at a cool £85,000, up 31% from £65,000, while 2TG recently raised its offering from £70,000 to £82,500 for the 2024-25 cycle. Elsewhere, Ten Old Square and 4 Pump Court have boosted their cash awards to £75,000 (2023) and £80,000 (2024), respectively.

The Legal Cheek Chambers Most List 2023 shows a host of chambers now offer rates of £75,000, including Keating, Wilberforce, Brick Court, Crown Office and Twenty Essex. It’s also worth noting baby barristers can top up these already sizeable sums by carrying out their own court work in their second six months of pupillage.

The top awards outstrip new starter pay for rookie solicitors at City law firms. As can been seen in The Legal Cheek Firms Most List 2023, the highest paying law firms in London for trainees are US duo Davis Polk and Weil Gotshal, which offer first years £60,000. This amount does however rocket to £160,000 (excluding potential bonuses) once rookies have qualified, although this process at two years takes twice as long as pupillage.

The picture is of course very different at the criminal bar where many sets provide regulator-set minimums of £20,703 in London and £18,884 elsewhere.

If you are interested in finding out more about life as a barrister and meeting pupils and tenants from sets across the country, come along to our Virtual Pupillage Fair on Saturday 13 December 2022. Apply now.

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I spent five years in law school as a lost, aspiring lawyer trying to figure out which way I wanted my career to go. It seemed like it was assumed that we all wanted to become solicitors, without any mention of barristers. Still, I knew nothing about the real practicalities of either role, until I left law school and took a job as a paralegal at a law firm.

After graduating, I had almost given up on the idea of pursuing a career as a criminal lawyer; the overwhelming consensus was that you could barely make a living in criminal practice. So I returned to university to complete a master’s in corporate and commercial law and on the course, I met an aspiring barrister who encouraged me to attend a pupillage fair. The fair introduced me to the enchanting world of the bar, reigniting my passion to become a criminal lawyer. After university, I decided to volunteer at Manchester Crown Court and then set off to the US to intern at a death row office. In the process I discovered my calling — to become a barrister — and from this point I would spend another five years trying to crack the Rubik’s Cube of securing pupillage.

Like many I’m sure, my path to pupillage felt like finding my way through a dark, unsolvable maze without a map or compass. After applying for my first mini-pupillage, I distinctly remember receiving a letter back from chambers, warning me of the very low chances of securing pupillage (under 15%), with the overall tone of the letter implying that my time was better spent considering alternative careers. The letter served as a reminder that the competition is fierce and only the best survive. Merit aside, there was the issue of finance which I managed to overcome by winning a bar course scholarship from Lincoln’s Inn, fortunately this gave me the opportunity I needed to compete.

As a combat sports fan, I like to draw comparisons between the legal and combat world; in mixed martial arts what makes an undisputed champion is their ability to adapt and blend different styles of martial arts to expose and capitalise on weaknesses in their opponent’s game. Securing pupillage is similar in that being exceptional in one area, such as, intelligence or advocacy is not sufficient. You must leverage your strengths and identify your weakness in a way which allows you to put forward a uniquely persuasive sales pitch, leaving no doubt in the interviewing panel’s mind that you’re their next pupil.

After years of good and bad advice, redrafting my applications thousands of times, attending dozens of interviews and receiving a lifetime’s worth of rejections, I finally emerged on the other side of an extremely narrow bottleneck when I secured pupillage with the Crown Prosecution Service, starting in 2023. Looking back on a journey I started over a decade prior; this is the advice I would have given my younger self:

1. You have to be all in

Be honest with yourself at the outset and ask yourself whether you are willing to commit to the bar and develop the skills required to become successful. Belief is insufficient without execution, so once you’ve committed to pursuing pupillage you have to leave no stone unturned. You have to be emersed in the world of the bar to find your way through it.

2. Build connections and a network

Quality trumps quantity when it comes to connections. Investing in one or two quality connections will pay dividends when it comes to reviewing your applications and preparing you for the rigours of pupillage interviews.

3. Know the enemy and know yourself

Researching chambers’ websites to appreciate the standard of the competition welcomed is only half the battle. You also must reflect on your own application, compensate for deficiencies and understand the landscape to know where your application is most likely to succeed. Play the odds.

4. Timing is everything

After what felt like an amazing interview performance, I received a rejection. The barrister called me to say that the panel said they had no feedback to give as they couldn’t fault my performance — the truth was the competition was just better on the day. She said timing is everything and I just needed the winds to hit my sails at the right time to go through.

5. Befriend rejection

Over the years I ate so many rejections they became like the air I breathed. When it comes to rejections you have to leave your ego at the door and objectively analyse your performance by looking for any information which will enable you to develop. The difference between success and failure is in the margins.

6. Feedback is king

Keep a feedback log of your successes and failures to track your progress, hold yourself accountable and make key changes.

7. Want but don’t need

One of the best pieces of advice I got was from a barrister who said “your problem is that you want pupillage too much.” He was right in that it had become the epicentre of my world. This created excessive pressure, manifesting in tense performances. Shifting my mindset and letting go of this need for pupillage is eventually what let my true self come out at interview, freeing me from nerves and allowing me to perform at my best.

8. Perspective is power

Problems are opportunities to engineer solutions. To support aspiring lawyers on their journey to the legal profession, I set up a YouTube channel and website to serve as a legal, performance and wellbeing advocate, sharing the tips and tricks I’ve learned along the way. When times are tough, don’t forget that every rejection is one step closer to an offer.

Taz Aldeek is a law school graduate, Lincoln’s Inn scholar and future pupil barrister for the Crown Prosecution Service, living in Manchester. I’ve set up a YouTube channel to support aspiring lawyers and explore ways to optimise our performance and wellbeing, in pursuit of curating a healthier, happier and more successful life.

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A new report published by the Bar Council has revealed some useful insights about what boosted aspiring barristers’ chances of success at obtaining pupillage.

The report, which uses data from the Pupillage Gateway, put the chances of first-time applicants getting an offer at just one in ten. The stats show the likelihood of success increases each year of trying, peaking for those who apply for the fourth time to about one in six applicants, and demonstrating the value of perseverance in the pupillage game.

In the 2021-22 application cycle, there were a total of 2,782 candidates applying through the Gateway for just 463 training spots.

The Bar Council report found that academic qualifications remain the most significant indicator for application success. Candidates with a first-class degree were more than twice as likely to receive an offer as those who attained a 2:1.

But it appears that it doesn’t matter if your high grades are in law or theology, with the new report stating that there is “no evidence to suggest that applicants who did not study law at undergraduate level were at a disadvantage in attaining pupillage”.

Top marks on the Bar Course also made a big difference with one in four candidates who obtained ‘outstanding’ receiving an offer of pupillage. The odds drop to one in ten for those who have been awarded ‘very competent’.

Applicants with a scholarship from one of the Inns of Court (Lincoln’s Inn, Inner Temple, Middle Temple and Gray’s Inn) were three times more likely to receive an offer than those without.

Bar Council Chair Mark Fenhalls KC commented that the report provided “a valuable resource for aspiring barristers, as well as providing those established at the bar with an insight into the patterns and trends emerging at the gateway to our profession”.

You can read the full report here.

The post Want to boost your pupillage chances? Scholarships, perseverance and a first-class degree remain key factors, new report finds appeared first on Legal Cheek.