Mini Pupillage

Mini-pupillage gives you an opportunity to spend two days in Chambers.  It allows us to assess your potential and gives you an insight into the atmosphere and work of Chambers so you can decide whether this is the place for you.
 Mini-pupillage is an important part of our recruitment process.

What does it involve?

During your mini-pupillage, you might

• accompany members of chambers to court or arbitration
• attend a conference
• look at a set of papers
• talk to junior members, clerks and current pupils about life here as a pupil and in the early days of tenancy
• demonstrate your ability by doing a piece of written work

Is it compulsory if you want to apply for pupillage?

Not at present.  For OLPAS applications in 2010 we will consider applications for pupillage from those who have not yet done a mini-pupillage here. Promising candidates who have done well in an interview may be offered a shorter mini-pupillage (probably in July) so they can spend some time in Chambers before any final decision about pupillage is made.

But we will not consider your application for pupillage to commence in or after 2012 unless you have first done a mini-pupillage with us.

Who can apply?

You must be an undergraduate or graduate who will have studied some law by the time of your mini-pupillage. You must have, or be expected to get, a first class degree or a good II.1. It need not be in law.  You should be interested in applying for pupillage here and should intend to practise at the English Bar.  In considering applications for mini-pupillage and pupillage we apply our Selection Criteria.

What are the application deadlines?

There are strict deadlines for applications:

We do not offer mini-pupillages in August.  We are no longer accepting applications for mini-pupillages to take place before 1 June 2010.

We receive a very large number of applications, and it may take us a few weeks after each closing date to make a decision.  We will contact you as soon as we can after the closing date to let you know whether we are able to offer you a place.

If you are doing a law degree you should aim to do a mini-pupillage after the start of your second year at university. If you are converting to law you should aim to do a mini-pupillage after you have studied contract law (usually taught in the first term of the conversion course).

How do I apply?

You must apply using our online application form.  Please contact us if this causes you any difficulty.  There is no interview, but a reference may assist.  References may be sent to us by post, but you must ensure that they arrive before the relevant deadline.

Queries

If you have any queries please email mini-pupillage [at] 20essexst [dot] com. Please do not telephone Chambers unless it is really necessary.