Pupillage

 

12-Month Funded Pupillages

Each year we offer up to two pupillages of twelve months duration. These are funded, with each pupil receiving an award of £6,000 in their First Six and a guaranteed fee income of at least £6,000 in their Second Six. We would expect applicants to have a commitment to the fields in which members practise. Pupils are allocated to pupil supervisors on the basis of their interests, whether in crime, civil or family work, but pupillages are organised so as to give pupils experience in all areas. We would not normally consider applications from people who have not begun the Bar Vocational Course, though we may do so in exceptional circumstances.

 

The closing date for applications is 30th October in any year for entry the following Autumn, with interviews for short-listed candidates taking place at the beginning of January.  Chambers employs a three-stage process to determine the award of its 12-month pupillages: -

• Stage 1 – application forms and the selection of candidates to form a ‘long list’.
• Stage 2 – ‘long list’ interviews and the selection of candidates to form a ‘short list’.
• Stage 3 – submission of written work and ‘short list’ interviews, leading to offers of pupillage.

Stage 1

 

Applications for 12-month pupillages at East Anglian Chambers must be made on chambers’ application form, a copy of which may be downloaded here on this site or by contacting Carol Bull at our Norwich address.  Please note that although we have premises in Chelmsford, Colchester, Ipswich and Norwich, all applications are considered by our Pupillage Committee centrally and you should therefore submit just one application.

Candidates are encouraged to submit their completed application in typed form and to use bullet points and/or headings where appropriate.

Chambers receives a high number of applications each year and does not interview candidates with a 2.2 other than in exceptional circumstances.  If you consider that your situation is exceptional, you should say so on the form.

All application forms will be assessed according to the criteria set out here.  Chambers will offer up to 24 first round interviews to those with the highest scores.

Stage 2

Approximately 24 candidates will be invited to a Stage 2 interview.  The panel will comprise at least three members of chambers (including the Head of the Pupillage Committee).

Upon arrival, and before the interview itself begins, candidates will be presented with a selection of short, written legal problems.  There will then be a period of around 30 minutes in which to select one of those questions and to prepare an answer.

In the interview, which normally lasts 10 – 15 minutes, candidates will be asked to discuss the legal problem that they have chosen.  There will be further questions from the panel.

Stage 3

Approximately 6 – 10 candidates will be invited to a Stage 3 interview.  The panel will, again, comprise at least three people (including the Head of the Pupillage Committee).

Candidates will be sent ‘instructions’ (by email) to prepare a written Advice or to draft a statement of case in advance of the Stage 3 interviews.

Upon arrival, and before the interview, candidates will be presented with the relevant papers for a short piece of oral advocacy (e.g. a plea in mitigation or application for bail).  Candidates will have around 45 minutes to prepare this exercise.

 

The interview will begin with the oral advocacy exercise.  This will be followed by a discussion of the candidate’s written exercise.  There will be further questions from the panel.

 

Mini-Pupils

University law students who have completed at least the first year of their undergraduate course, and those undertaking post-graduate vocational training, are welcome to apply for mini-pupillages.  These are usually granted for one week at a time. Due to the high demand for places, priority as between applicants will be given to those who have not previously undertaken a mini-pupillage with chambers.  Please write, with CV, the preferred location which you would like to attend and dates when you are available, to Alice Newton by e-mail to minipupillage@ealaw.co.uk.

Third Six pupils

We have vacancies for third six pupils from time to time throughout the year – particularly for criminal work, although there may be opportunities in other areas as well. If interested you should contact Carol Bull in the first instance on 01603 751407, by e-mail to cbull@ealaw.co.uk or by sending a CV with covering letter to her at our Norwich address.

 

Equality & Diversity

Chambers is totally committed to its policy of equality of opportunity and diversity and is keen to encourage applications from individuals  from ethnic minority groups or who may have a disability. If anyone with a disability who is contemplating applying for pupillage is concerned about accessibility issues they are welcome to discuss the matter in the first instance with the Chambers Administrator,  Carol Bull, who can be reached on 01603 751407 or by e-mail to cbull@ealaw.co.uk .