4 New Square Chambers - Pupillage - October 2027

Pupillage Vacancy Information

About Authorised Education and Training Organisation

We are a leading barristers’ chambers specialising in commercial litigation and arbitration. Members of Chambers act and advise in disputes both in the UK and internationally. We have a well earned reputation for the strength of our advocacy and focus on client needs.

Starting your pupillage

We strive at the outset to ensure that pupils feel welcome and part of Chambers. Alongside work with their pupil supervisor, pupils are provided with a thorough training programme to help them thrive. This includes, in the first few months, sessions run by junior members of Chambers on such things as pleadings and legal research. These sessions provide pupils with the chance, in a non-assessed environment, to learn and raise any questions they may have.

Pupil supervisors

You will be allocated a pupil supervisor from the outset. Pupils share their supervisor's room and accompany them in all aspects of their practice. You will move to a new pupil supervisor in January and again in April. You may sometimes also work with other members of Chambers if there is a case of special interest that will provide educational benefit.

The first six months

You will attend court and conferences with your pupil supervisor. You will assist your pupil supervisor with their work, for instance by carrying out detailed legal research. You will also draft a range of documents including statements of case, opinions and skeleton arguments.

The second six months

During your second six months, you will take on an increasing amount of your own court work. We place a strong emphasis on advocacy and support our pupils in gaining valuable practical experience. You can expect to be in court on your own about once a week up to the tenancy decision and more thereafter.

Advocacy

You will take part in two advocacy assessments during your pupillage. Prior to the practising period of pupillage, there is also a further training session on the types of applications and hearings which you are likely to undertake during your second six months.

Panel Work

Pupils carry out a limited number of assessed pieces of written work for other members of chambers.

Environment

We provide a friendly and supportive environment. Pupils are included in Chambers’ social events throughout the year.

Financial and Other Support Available

The total annual award is £90,000, of which £10,000 is paid immediately upon acceptance of the offer and a further £20,000 can be drawn down during the BPTC year. Pupils are allowed to keep any earnings from their second 6 months.

To assist new tenants to start their careers after pupillage on a sound and stable footing we provide guaranteed minimum earnings for the first 3 years of practice (£95,000 in year 1, £105,000 in year 2 and £115,000 in year 3). These earnings are normally exceeded by a considerable margin. To assist with cash flow, guaranteed earnings are paid in 12 equal monthly instalments in the first year of tenancy. Room rent is not charged in the first year of practice and is subsidised in the second year.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion

We believe that great barristers, great clerks and great staff members can come from all walks of life. We also believe that people perform at their best when they get the support they need.

We seek to implement those values in our working lives in chambers. We respect one another. We strive, wherever we can, to make Chambers a positive, inclusive and friendly place. We aim to provide mutual support to help each other whatever our backgrounds, age, gender, race, ethnicity, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, physical abilities or gender identity.

We know that the Commercial Bar has a great deal of ground to cover in relation to equality and diversity. We seek to make up that ground wherever we can. We do so by recognising that as different individuals in chambers we need different types of support. Our goal is always to adapt and to find new ways to provide that support; and to take responsibility for promoting diversity and inclusion.

If you have any queries regarding accessibility, please contact Maria Lawson-Murray on 020 7822 2000 or email pupillage@4newsquare.com.

AI policy

Throughout the pupillage application and recruitment process, candidates should not use AI or use any electronic or hard copy resources other than the materials 4 New Square will provide.

How to Apply

Aspiring barristers are invited to apply to chambers between Monday 5 January 2026 and Thursday 22 January 2026 using the Pupillage Gateway application system to search for the relevant Pupillage Vacancy and selecting ‘Apply for this pupillage’.

In addition to the standardised Bar Council questionnaire, candidates will be asked to respond to the following questions from Chambers:

1. Summarise a recently reported case, explain why it was of interest to you and whether you consider it was rightly or wrongly decided. (word limit 200)

2. What written or oral advocacy experience do you have? (word limit 200)

3. What makes an argument convincing? (word limit 200)

4. What are your priorities in choosing which sets to apply to and what appeals to you most about 4 New Square Chambers? (word limit 200)

Pupillage contact details If you have any queries, please contact the Pupillage Co-Ordinator, Maria Lawson-Murray on 020 7822 2000 or email pupillage@4newsquare.com.