The pupillage applications process

When should I apply for pupillage?

Many sets recruit a year to a year and a half in advance, so law students should start applying in their final year at university and non-law students in their conversion course year (assuming they do not wish to take a gap year or engage in further study before applying). Deadlines fall throughout the year, though the majority are between March and September. Some sets will allow successful applicants to defer the start of pupillage by a year, though this is not always possible.

Many sets are members of the Pupillage Portal centralised online pupillage application system, formerly known as OLPAS, and work to the same recruitment timetables. For more information visit pupillageportal.com. 

• Becoming a barrister - application timetable

How do I apply for pupillage?

There are two different ways in which sets recruit pupils. Some accept CVs, application forms or online applications directly from applicants; others are members of the Pupillage Portal centralised online pupillage application system.

You can apply to up to 12 chambers, tailoring each application to the individual set, and make one clearing application through the centralised system. The deadline for first round submissions is usually at the end of April and chambers typically begin to process candidate application forms that have been submitted for clearing in September. Visit pupillageportal.com for more details, advice and this year’s deadlines. 

Deadlines for sets that do not recruit through the Pupillage Portal centralised system occur throughout the year and you can apply to as many as you like.

What are the stages of the pupil selection process?

The stages of the selection process (and what happens at which stage) vary from set to set. Some sets will interview you only once; others may call you back for second and even third interviews.

There are various components to pupillage interviews that you may encounter. You may be given a legal question or problem shortly before your interview and asked to prepare to discuss it; there may be a more general discussion of legal matters (for example current legal affairs, procedural or ethical issues, or cases that you’ve already encountered, eg in a mini-pupillage or moot). There could be advocacy exercises, role-plays, group tasks or a written exercise. At some point there is also likely to be a more general discussion about you and the experiences you’ve mentioned on your application.

There may be a chance to meet members of chambers more informally (especially for those who haven’t done a mini-pupillage with the set in question), for example for drinks or lunch, either at a late stage in the selection process or once a pupillage offer has been made.

What part does assessed mini-pupillage play in recruitment to chambers?

Some sets specify that you must complete an assessed mini-pupillage with them if you wish to be considered for pupillage. These are short periods of work experience in chambers (typically between three and five days) during which you will be formally assessed, usually via some form of test or exercise, as well as shadowing barristers and helping out if possible.

You may be required to complete an assessed mini-pupillage before you apply for pupillage, as the first stage of the interview process or between a first and second interview. In addition, some sets will offer assessed mini-pupillages but not insist that you have to take one, and many sets offer unassessed mini-pupillages (which allow you to gain experience and get a feel for a particular set without being formally assessed).

• Find out more about assessed mini-pupillages

How are pupillage offers made?

Pupillage offers from sets that are members of the centralised online pupillage application system will come via Pupillage Portal. Offers from non-Pupillage Portal sets will come directly from the set in question.

Many recruiters are willing to provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates if requested.

What if I’m not successful in my pupillage applications?

If you’re not successful finding a pupillage the first year you apply, there’s nothing to stop you trying again the following year, which in most cases will be your Bar professional training course (BPTC) year. It’s OK to apply to some of the same sets again if you want to, though it’s sensible to request feedback from them as soon as you know you have been unsuccessful, and use this to gauge how close you came to receiving an offer of pupillage with them. However, it’s probably not wise to make all of your applications second time round to sets that have previously rejected you.

If you’re not successful first time round, take on board any feedback you have managed to gather and think about what you can do to build up your skills and experience. You might want to proceed straight to the BPTC and spend your spare time gathering extra legal work experience (for example through pro bono legal work, marshalling (shadowing a judge), mooting, debating, or taking another mini-pupillage or two).

Alternatively you could consider taking a year out and finding a job or voluntary work that will allow you to develop further. Options could be a paralegal role with a law firm or a legal internship abroad or in the UK, working as an outdoor clerk at a litigation firm, applying to become a judicial assistant at the Court of Appeal, or becoming a research assistant at the Law Commission (NB non-law students do not normally meet the entry criteria for this). Keep in mind that if you proceed straight to the BPTC and are offered a pupillage you may need to take a gap year before commencing your pupillage, due to sets’ recruitment timetables.