Crown Office Chambers |

Crown Office Chambers is a leading civil and commercial set widely recognised as a market leader with a reputation for combining high-quality advice and advocacy with a modern, flexible and commercially-minded approach. Specialist, experienced and innovative clerking teams assist highly-rated silks and juniors providing an efficient, high-quality service for professional and lay clients. Chambers has 104 members, including 27 silks. We provide high calibre individuals and teams of counsel across all our core areas of practice.

Type of work

A wide range of common law and commercial work, with particular emphasis on construction, property damage, commercial disputes, insurance and reinsurance, personal injury, health and safety, product liability, professional negligence and clinical negligence.

Our pupils sit with two pupil supervisors in their first six months and one in their second. You will also work with a number of other members of chambers practising in different fields of work over the course of the year. You appear in court regularly during your second six, generally handling applications and small trials in the county courts. This gives ample opportunity to develop your advocacy skills. Chambers also organises a series of advocacy training sessions including senior barristers and judges.

We combine a rigorous, astute and business-oriented approach to our client work with an open and collaborative approach with our colleagues. We look for the same in our pupils, all of whom are regarded as having strong tenancy potential. We look for the motivation, dedication and intelligence which are the hallmarks of a first-class barrister. Academically, we look for a first or upper second-class honours degree (not necessarily in law) and a flair for the oral and written presentation of complex legal arguments. You will be expected to work hard and to show strong commitment to your work as an integral part of a supportive and friendly chambers.

We encourage applications from underrepresented groups, including women, those from black or other ethnic minority backgrounds, those with disabilities, LGBTQ+ people and those from disadvantaged socioeconomic backgrounds. Applications for pupillage are assessed and determined solely on merit.

If you are thinking of applying to us, a mini-pupillage is a very good way for you to meet us and for us to get to know you. We do not formally assess mini-pupillages, although your contribution will be assessed by the barristers who you are placed with and may be considered during any subsequent application for pupillage.

The best time to apply for a mini-pupillage is during the 2nd year or early part of the final year of your law degree or CPE/GDL year. This will give you the opportunity to complete the mini-pupillage before you need to apply for pupillage.

Chambers offers a limited number of mini-pupillages throughout the year. If you are selected for a mini-pupillage, you will be invited to attend during for a period of 2 days, which may be consecutive or on separate days, but will be arranged so as to take account your availability and the availability of a professional commitment of one of our barristers. Chambers will be seeking to accommodate selected mini-pupils between November 2024 and April 2025.

Crown Office Chambers strives to be an equal opportunities employer and is committed to diversity amongst its staff, members, pupils and mini-pupils. We therefore encourage and welcome applications from women, people of minority ethnic origin, people with disabilities and those who are LGBTQ+, as well as candidates from other groups which are underrepresented in the legal sector. We are happy to make reasonable adjustments to enable disabled candidates to demonstrate their suitability for the job. Further information about our Diversity Policy and Data can be found on our website.

Expenses

Chambers covers the reasonable expenses of all mini-pupils up to £250. Reasonable expenses include (and will generally be limited to) standard class travel, subsistence and where appropriate, the costs of accommodation. Mini-pupils may be asked to provide proof of any expenses claimed (e.g. ticket, invoice or receipt).

Mini-pupillage grants

In addition, Chambers is keen to ensure that mini-pupillages are accessible to as many suitable candidates as possible and that candidates are not prevented from undertaking a mini-pupillage due to a lack of finance. Chambers offers grants on a case-by-case discretionary basis. An example of a situation in which a grant might be made is if a candidate were unable to arrange alternative childcare without financial support or cannot afford to forego paid employment.

In deciding whether to make an award, the following factors are likely to be relevant:

1. The applicant’s financial need which the grant will address.
2. The availability of other sources of funding.
3. The applicant’s ability to undertake a mini-pupillage if a grant is not made.
4. The applicant’s history of work experience, paid or unpaid, in the legal sector (including other mini-pupillages).
5. Whether the award of a grant may further Chambers’ objective to promote diversity and equality and to widen access to the legal sector.

If you wish to apply for a grant, please provide a short covering letter when you apply for a mini-pupillage stating that you are seeking a grant and explaining the basis of your application. Please limit your supporting explanation to 350 words. Please do not provide any other supporting documentation at that stage but you may be asked to do so in due course.

There can be no guarantee of funding and there is no appeal against a refusal to provide a grant. An application for funding will not impact on the separate question of whether a mini-pupillage is offered. Information provided for the purposes of a grant application will be treated with the strictest confidence.

By submitting an online application for mini-pupillage, you are declaring to Chambers that the contents are true to the best of your knowledge and belief.

Please email your completed form to the Mini-Pupillage Administrator with the subject heading “Mini-Pupillage Application”.