Paul Wilmshurst

NAME Paul Wilmshurst
CHAMBERS 12 College Place
QUALIFICATIONS History, University of Durham (2005)

I’ve always enjoyed public speaking and my undergraduate degree developed the skill of formulating arguments: becoming a barrister was a great way of putting these skills to a practical use.

I undertook my conversion course in Nottingham and my BVC (now known as the BPTC) in London. I wanted to stay in the south east to complete pupillage and looked for chambers that matched my interests. 12 College Place is based in Southampton, and its areas of practice and the people I met suggested it would suit me.

Relevant work experience for a law career

I was called to the Bar in 2007 and I won the Middle Temple Inn Fox Scholarship, which provides an opportunity to complete a placement in a Toronto law firm. I shadowed a Canadian QC; the experience gave me the chance to further observe advocacy in action. When I arrived back in the UK, my pupillage wasn’t due to start for another year. I gained a position at the European Parliament, working for an MEP. This turned out to be very relevant to a law career, as I got to draft proposed amendments to legislation. I still use the research methodology and online systems I learned there.

Criminal and civil law in practice

I have had three pupil supervisors – two criminal, one civil – and the work I do is broadly common law. As a second-six pupil, I have my own client base and am in court most of the time, returning to chambers to complete paperwork. My cases have taken me to the magistrates’ court and the county court. A number of the criminal cases I’ve completed are for the National Probation Service, challenging those who have violated their community orders. I’ve also had many ‘small claims’ cases, such as road traffic accidents.

Going to court as a pupil

I am developing a particular specialism in town and village greens. I’ve recently completed a five-day hearing against a QC regarding some land near Portsmouth. The land is wanted for the development of a dedicated busway and I acted for the local community claiming that it was a village green. In the first six, you have the luxury of accompanying a barrister to court and, because you are completing delegated tasks, relatively low responsibility. In the second six you have your own caseload and go to court alone.

Performing in your first cases is tiring and it takes a month or two to get used to the court environment. However, everyone is very supportive and you soon start to enjoy it.

A pupillage outside London

I have the impression that you have the opportunity to take on more responsibility earlier when based outside London, but otherwise I don’t think there is any difference between practising in the regions and practising in London. Members of chambers work on national cases.

Top tips for job applicants

Don’t try to reinvent yourself if you don’t succeed in a pupillage interview. There’s a tendency to think that you’re the reason that you’re not successful but pupillage is competitive and it may just be that someone else suited that set more. You should, of course, make sure you have the basics of your application right, but don’t change your personality in the hope of gaining pupillage.