Anthony Dinkin QC, pupillage committee chairman
NAME Anthony Dinkin QC
CHAMBERS 2–3 Gray’s Inn Square
JOB Pupillage committee chairman
UNIVERSITY London
What route did you take to the Bar?
Before becoming a barrister I worked as a chartered surveyor and valuer. My first job was in the valuation department of the Greater London Council (GLC) before it was abolished. This introduced me to the planning and valuation work of barristers.
After learning that counsel for the GLC at a planning inquiry was earning more on his brief than my entire annual salary I decided to go for it. Obtaining pupillage was not easy, but nothing like as difficult as today. Conversion course? No such requirement in my case. CV? What CV? Mini-pupillage? There was no such thing in those days.
You’ll need a well written, informative but concise CV that avoids waffle and repetition.
What’s your advice for prospective barristers?
Work experience in the ‘real’ world related to your chosen practice area is likely to be advantageous. I have no doubt that my qualification and experience as a surveyor/valuer was crucial to obtaining pupillage and tenancy. My practice developed around building contracts and planning/environmental law and I could apply my knowledge and skills from the start. Getting work experience will require forward planning and may mean that you’ll be a little bit older than other applicants, but that’s not a bad thing.
What marks a successful application for pupillage?
You’ll need a well written, informative but concise CV that avoids waffle and repetition. Intellectual prowess is obviously important but you need to demonstrate that you not only have the necessary commitment, motivation and integrity but also the right temperament.
You must convince us that you can cope with the demands of a diverse workload of paper, conferences and court work while maintaining self-confidence and good presentation when handling cases. A sense of humour will also help – some think this is the most essential quality for a successful career at the Bar!