Pupillages

We are a Western Circuit general common law set with Chambers in London, Winchester and Swindon. There are 70 Members of Chambers at present (including 4 silks), about half of whom live and work mainly on Circuit and are based at the London, Winchester or Swindon Chambers.

About 75% of our work is on the Circuit, including most of the crime. Most of our Circuit work is in Hampshire (about an hour on the train) but we also travel to Dorset, Wiltshire and further afield. The London practitioners live and work in London, travelling out on Circuit when their practices require it. The spread of work in Chambers is approximately 50% civil/family and 50% crime and there are three "teams" in Chambers which focus attention upon the three main practice areas, arrange marketing, seminars etc. and facilitate the dissemination of new ideas or developments in the law to those in Chambers who are interested. Some Members of Chambers practise almost exclusively in one or another area and those with a crime bias tend to travel more.

Pupillages are offered on a combination of academic merit and success at interview. If you are successful at the first interview you will be asked to come back for a second interview and offers will be made in accordance with the OLPAS summer timetable after the completion of the second interviews.

Pupillages are normally for twelve months beginning in October, although adjustments can be made to suit an individual case. There is generally a maximum of 3 or 4 pupils in Chambers at any one time. Pupillages are available in London and Winchester. Pupillages will normally be divided into three four month sections each of which will be with a different pupil supervisor.

Pupils are encouraged to travel with their pupil supervisors although not necessarily to every case on Circuit nor cases at a great distance. Pupils are also encouraged to see other Members of Chambers at work, particularly the younger tenants, in order to familiarise themselves with the type of work done in the second six months of pupillage. We are always conscious of the need to ensure that pupillages with us are as varied and interesting as possible. In order to ensure that the fullest possible communication is maintained between pupils and the rest of Chambers, a junior tenant in both London and Winchester is appointed each year to act as liaison so that queries or problems can be raised which might not be so readily or conveniently dealt with through the pupil supervisor or other routes.

The pupillage awards are as shown in the Pupillages and Awards Handbook published by GTI and the Bar Council. Third six pupillages are not funded. In the past few years working pupils have consistently earned reasonably well, although there are signs at the moment that some areas of work which have hitherto kept pupils busy may be slowing down. We make a travel grant during all types of pupillage depending upon the circumstances of each pupillage. There are no arrangements in Chambers for mini-pupillages.

Tenants are recruited at the bottom exclusively from those who have served a period of pupillage in these Chambers. At the time when a decision is made all those pupils in Chambers who are eligible and apply are considered. Decisions of this kind are usually made in July or August but exceptions are made where the situation warrants them. Since 2002 we have taken four tenants at the bottom of Chambers but there is no guarantee that this level of recruitment will continue or, indeed, that there will be anyone taken on in any particular year.