St John's Chambers |

Described by the Legal 500 as ‘a Western Circuit Powerhouse’, St John’s offers the perfect chance to build a stellar career at the Bar while enjoying the great opportunities on offer in one of the UK’s most vibrant cities. We are one of the largest sets in the South West, with over 80 barristers and 6 silks. Chambers UK and The Legal 500 list us as a ‘top-ranked’ leading set in our practice areas, describing us as a ‘must instruct’ chambers.

In 2022 we were awarded the prestigious Legal 500’s ‘Set outside London of the Year’ and were shortlisted for this award again in 2023 and 2024, as well as for the ‘Regional Set of the Year’ by Chambers UK Guide to the Bar in 2024. In 2023 and 2025 we were awarded the ‘Regional Family Law Set of the Year’ by the national Family Law Awards. We also won ‘Chambers of the Year’ at the Bristol Legal Awards in 2025. These nominations further cement our position as a standout destination for high-quality applicants who want the very best career without compromising on quality of life. As a set, we are relentlessly striving for excellence in the legal services we provide, as part of

What you can expect:

• An inclusive and supportive working environment
• One-to-one support, training and guidance
• To conduct research and prepare pleadings and advices
• To shadow your supervisor and attend conferences
• To gain court experience and knowledge of process
• To receive regular feedback on your work. 

In your 2nd Six you will build on the first 6 months’ experience as well as being busy in court.

What we look for in a pupil

We look for high-calibre recruits who can demonstrate 4 key competencies: excellence in written and oral advocacy, the ability to analyse complex information quickly, to present arguments succinctly and persuasively; and the ability to communicate effectively with all types of people. Successful candidates will typically have strong academic credentials, but we have no preference as to whether your undergraduate degree is in law or whether you have since transferred. We look for people who are determined, resilient and motivated. Experience of public speaking and mooting is desirable but not essential. We generally expect our pupils to specialise within one practice group. We take on pupils with an eye to tenancy, so our pupils do not compete with each other. Provided that they successfully complete pupillage, they can normally expect to become tenants. We typically recruit 1-2 pupils per year for each of our main practice groups (Family; Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence; Chancery and Commercial).

Funding

£60,000 along with the loan (with an option to buy at second-hand rates at the end of the year) of a tablet, smart keyboard and pen. The award is paid in 12 equal monthly instalments, subject to a claw-back to the extent of any fees actually received during the second six months of pupillage.

Tenancy

We are committed to recruiting new tenants from our pupils whenever possible. Accordingly, we offer pupillage to those who we hope and expect will become tenants. Of course there can be no guarantees, but in the majority of cases a successful pupillage will lead to an offer of tenancy.

Mini Pupillage

We currently offer four mini-pupillages per quarter. Typically, a mini-pupil’s time will include accompanying members to court, attending conferences involving clients and/or solicitors, and reading and discussing paperwork. Mini-pupils will also have the opportunity to ask questions about the profession, life as a pupil and the application process.

In support of the Western Circuit’s ‘BarNone’ initiative, St John’s Chambers offers at least 50% of mini-pupillages to BAME and state-school applicants with the hope of encouraging more applications from these under-represented groups and ultimately improving both the diversity and strength of the Bar.

St John’s Chambers will ensure that each application is considered on its merits regardless of gender, age, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability.

We ask you to complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form to help us to monitor our fair selection and recruitment practice. None of the information contained on the form will form part of our selection process.