“We see our pupils as our future tenants and our junior tenants as our future.” 

36 Bedford Row offers up to two 12–month pupillages annually, commencing in October. We understand the importance of pupillage to a barrister’s career: our objective is to equip our pupils with the skills and knowledge they will require to become valuable and successful members of the Bar. Upon joining Chambers, pupils begin a process of internal education and training which continues throughout the years of junior practice. Each pupillage is fully funded: remuneration for 2009 – 2010 is £30,000, comprising £15,000 grant and £15,000 guaranteed earnings.

Pupillages are offered for a full 12 months. Each pupil will have two six–month pupil supervisors, covering different areas of practice. We encourage pupils to experience as many areas of work as possible and in the process to get to know the majority of members of Chambers. In the second six months, pupils will not normally be sent to court more than three times a week to ensure they continue to have an opportunity to observe the work of their pupil supervisors and other tenants.

Generous funding is provided for each pupil, as set out above, in order to offset travel costs Prospective pupils should bear in mind that the nature of circuit work may involve higher travelling costs than might be incurred in some other sets. The courts regularly visited by members of Chambers include: Northampton, Leicester, Nottingham, Lincoln, Peterborough, Luton, St Albans and Aylesbury, as well as the High Court and County Courts in London and the Central Criminal Court.

Written documents set out Chambers’ policies on pupillage and grievance procedures. New pupils are made familiar with these during a day’s induction at the beginning of their pupillage.

In recent years over 80% of our pupils have been taken on as tenants with us. Those who are unsuccessful receive help in finding a position elsewhere, with a high degree of success in the past. New tenants graduating from pupillage pay reduced rent in their first two years.

Third six pupillages are offered only if and when we perceive a need. In that event, places will be awarded following an open advertised competition.

Pupils are fully integrated into life at 36 Bedford Row from the commencement of their pupillage. Pupils are expected to attend both client and social events, including: annual client events, regular seminars from practice teams and Chambers dinners. Throughout pupillage, working with other members of Chambers is encouraged. This provides greater exposure to the wide variety of work carried out within Chambers and the opportunity to meet other members of Chambers and raise their own profile.

Due to the high volume of work on circuit, our junior tenants often find that their practices get off to a quicker start than those with purely London–based practices. Good quality challenging work regularly arises very soon after commencing practice. Whilst we are enthusiastic about specialisation at the Bar, we firmly believe that it must be built on a broad and thorough introduction to general practice in the early years of tenancy. Junior tenants practice in all areas covered by Chambers in their first three years as a tenant, including in crime, in order to develop their advocacy skills.

Chambers has been committed to equal opportunities in all areas for many years. In 1997 we received the Award for Commitment to Diversity and Equality in the Legal Profession at the Minority Lawyers Conference.

Chambers is a member of the On Line Pupillage Application Scheme (OLPAS). Applications for pupillage should be made in accordance with the OLPAS rules. We are registered as Pupillage Providers for the Summer season. Full details of the OLPAS scheme can be obtained from their website: www.pupillages.com

Chambers offers a structured programme for mini pupillage. We encourage students interested in acquiring further experience of Chamber’s practice, expectations and areas of work to undertake a mini pupillage. Mini pupillages are usually offered for a five–day duration and will typically involve attending court and conferences, reviewing papers and undertaking legal research. Please note, completion of a mini pupillage is not a prerequisite to an application for pupillage.

For further details please contact the Secretary of the Pupillage Committee.

Any correspondence regarding pupillage or mini pupillage should be sent by post or email to: 

Ms Kate Makepeace Grieve
Secretary of the Pupillage Committee
36 Bedford Row
London
WC1R 4JH

recruitment@36bedfordrow.co.uk

A Mini–pupillage Application Form for 2012 can be downloaded here.