Pupillage

New Court Chambers is a set that is part of the Pupillage Portal system and we generally offer two twelve-month pupillages a year. The pupillage award is £6000 over the first six months and £6000 guaranteed earnings in the second six months. We invest in our pupils, looking on them as potential future tenants and as a consequence expect the same commitment from them.

 

Selection process

There is usually one round of interviews although the high calibre of those we interview has sometimes required a second round. The interview includes an advocacy exercise.

 

We expect prospective pupils to have attained at least a 2:2 in their first degree and a "Very Competent" grade at Bar School but will consider applicants if there are mitigating circumstances explaining why they have not achieved these levels of qualification. All successful applicants will have already demonstrated their commitment to family law by having related work experience.

 

Just prior to commencing pupillage, we invite our first six-month pupils to spend a week-long mini-pupillage with us to allow them an informal and hopefully gentle start to pupillage. Each pupil will have their own pupil supervisor and will have a different supervisor in the first and second six month periods.

 

We hold reviews half way through each six-month period to give our pupils feedback about their progress to date. We also hold at least two unassessed advocacy exercises in the course of pupillage: the first near the end of the first six months, just before the pupils go onto their feet as a confidence-building exercise, and the second half-way through the second six month period.

 

In the first six months our pupils spend most of their time with their pupil supervisor and so will see a variety of high-quality complex cases at all levels of tribunal, predominantly in the public law arena. Nearer the end of the first six months, pupils are encouraged to shadow members of the junior end of chambers to have some exposure to the kind of public and private law work they will be facing when they are on their feet. They will also have experience of ancillary relief matters.

 

Our pupils are generally very busy in their second six months, with work ranging from minor to more substantial matters in which they can develop their advocacy skills.

 

All pupils will be provided with our Pupillage Handbook, Pupillage Policy Statement, Grievance Procedure and Discrimination and Harassment Complaints Procedure. (These documents are also available to any applicant on request).

 

Third six pupillage

All prospective third six pupils are welcome to apply to chambers by sending a CV along with a covering letter to the Head of the Pupillage Committee.

 

Mini-pupillage

Any applications for mini-pupillage should be made by sending a short letter to the Head of the Pupillage Committee.

 

Tenancy

Applicants are welcome to apply to chambers by sending a CV and covering letter to the Head of Chambers and will be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

 

Equal Opportunities

Chambers is an equal opportunities employer and strives to prevent discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, citizenship, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, religion or political persuasion. Our approach is set out in written policies that aim to protect our clients, staff, pupils and tenants from direct or indirect discrimination and, in the event of a complaint, our policy is to deal with it in a fair and open way.

 

Any person applying for tenancy, employment, pupillage or work experience is required to complete our Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.