Fountain Court Chambers - 12 months - October 2026 (Pupillage)

Pupillage applications open on Thursday 2nd January 2025 until Thursday 6th February 2024.

Fountain Court Chambers is inviting applications for pupillage starting in October 2026 and will consider, in exceptional circumstances, applications for pupillage starting in October 2027.

Around 4 pupillages are typically offered in each pupillage year.? The current pupillage award is £80,000.

An assessed mini pupillage is a compulsory element of any pupillage application to Fountain Court Chambers. Applications for pupillage from those who have not completed an assessed mini-pupillage will be treated as applications for both a pupillage and an assessed mini-pupillage. Applicants are encouraged to plan ahead and (where possible) to make their applications for a mini pupillage at an earlier stage in their legal education.

Fountain Court Chambers

Fountain Court is a leading commercial set of barristers' chambers in London and with an office in Singapore; with some 109 tenants, including 45 silks, specialising in commercial and other high quality civil work. We are seeking to recruit law and non-law graduates of the highest calibre for pupillage and eventually tenancy. We positively encourage applications from groups who are currently under-represented in Chambers such as women and those from a black or other ethnic minority background.

Areas of Practice

In addition to general commercial litigation, specific practice areas include:

• Banking & Financial Services
• Aviation
• Professional Negligence
• Insurance and Reinsurance
• Civil Fraud
• International Arbitration
• Commercial Crime

There is a broad range of other work in chambers, including energy and natural resources, employment, public law (especially in a commercial context), company, insolvency, sports, telecommunications, professional discipline and regulatory work. There is also a substantial amount of international work.

Pupillage

Fountain Court mentors and supports pupils by offering tailored training during pupillage. Pupillage is divided into four periods of three months. The first two months are unassessed, following which pupils will be asked to complete specific pieces of work for different members on ongoing cases. The work will be assessed, and both formal and informal feedback given. In addition to working on papers, a pupil can also expect to accompany his or her pupil supervisor to trials and appeals and, more frequently, to interlocutory hearings. Pupillage does not involve competitive advocacy exercises and pupils are encouraged to co-operate with each other, with a view to this supportive ethos being carried on through tenancy.

Skills sought

The criteria by which we select our pupils, and ultimately our tenants are:

• Academic and intellectual ability.
• Advocacy and communication skills, including clarity of expression; ability to think and respond under pressure; and potential capacity as an advocate.
• Potential to be a successful self-employed practitioner at the Commercial Bar, including: interest and understanding in the type of work done by chambers; potential ability to work well with members of chambers, solicitors, clients, staff and other pupils; determination; resilience; and integrity.

Financial and Other Support Available

Fountain Court Chambers is prepared to advance, to candidates who are successful in their application for pupillage at Fountain Court, up to £25,000 of the £80,000 pupillage award, for the year before commencing pupillage.

Fountain Court Chambers is committed to providing an accessible environment for all visitors to its buildings, whether that be clients, barristers, staff, pupils, mini-pupils or other visitors.

The buildings in which we operate were once separate, but over the years have been joined to create a one-roof solution. Where this has occurred, it is common to find different floor levels between the buildings. There is a mixture of flat and ramped areas (which are noted by colour differences), and steps. Where stairs/steps exist, there are handrails installed, to make access easier. Where required, we also have portable ramps available.

We have a fully accessible entrance to Fountain Court, through our 36 Essex Street entrance. Here you will find a ramp to take you from street level into the building, and a disabled chair lift to take you onto the ground floor level.

Parking is available directly outside the 36 Essex Street (WC2R 3AT) entrance, with one disabled parking bay directly opposite the entrance also provided.

Once inside the building, you will have immediate access to an internal lift to all floors, including to members’ rooms, conference rooms, a fully equipped shower room/toilet and kitchen facilities.

Equality and Diversity

Fountain Court Chambers believes in, and promotes, equal and fair treatment for all.

We are committed to creating an inclusive culture and addressing any inequality in all aspects of our business. We strive to recruit and retain talented individuals from all walks of life. We regard it as essential to our standing as a leading commercial set of chambers that we should seek to excel in this regard, as in the rest of our business.

We recognise that the obligation not to discriminate against clients, members, pupils, mini-pupils or staff on grounds of gender, gender re-assignment, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality and ethnic or national origins), sexual orientation, age, disability, marriage and civil partnership or religion or belief is a fundamental commitment that is central to how we operate.

We go further than the obligations imposed on us by the Bar Code of Conduct and work to identify and address structural issues which lead to groups being underrepresented within Fountain Court Chambers or at the commercial Bar as a whole.

How to Apply

Aspiring barristers are invited to apply to chambers between 2 January 2025 and 6 February 2025 using the Pupillage Gateway application system to search for the relevant Pupillage Vacancy and selecting ‘Apply for this pupillage’.

Candidates will be asked to respond to the following questions from Chambers:

1. Why do you believe you will make a good barrister? In your answer, please identify any relevant experiences or skills that you believe may help you in your career. (Maximum 500-word count)
2. Please identify any additional experiences/skills gained that you believe may help you in your career. (Maximum 500-word count)
3. Why do you want to join our chambers? (Maximum 500-word count)
4. What areas of practice are you interested in and why? (Maximum 400-word count)
5. Have you completed a mini pupillage at Fountain Court Chambers, if so, please provide further details (who you sat with, dates etc.)? (Maximum 150-word count)
6. Have you previously applied for a pupillage at Fountain Court Chambers, and if so, when? (Maximum 100-word count)
7. If there is anything else you would like us to know about you, please tell us here. (Maximum 500-word count)