Pupillage

 

 

 

 

Recently recognised as Employment Set of the Year by Chambers and Partners, Littleton Chambers is a long-established civil set, specialising in employment law, commercial litigation, mediation and professional negligence. Our success is based upon both the desire to maintain high professional standards and a willingness to embrace change.

 

Chambers prides itself on the skills of its tenants, not only as top-quality academic lawyers and advocates, but also for their practical and unstuffy approach. This creates an environment which is industrious, supportive and down to earth. Our tenants feature in many of the leading cases in our practice areas and regularly appear in the Court of Appeal, the House of Lords and the ECJ.

 

We take a considerable amount of care in choosing our pupils. We like to take on pupils who not only have excellent academic skills, but who show a flair for advocacy, have the ability to understand practical commercial issues and, importantly, have the interpersonal skills to provide the qualities that are expected of the modern day Bar.

 

Many former candidates have commented positively on the thoroughness of our selection procedure, which is designed both to test the aptitude and abilities of candidates and to allow candidates to get a real feel for what makes us stand out as a set of chambers. Having invested time and effort into this selection process, we support our pupils throughout pupillage in the strong hope that they will be successful in their applications for tenancy in due course.  

 

You can find more information on various aspects of pupillage using the links below:

 

• Areas of work
• Application and selection process
• Pupillage funding
• What does pupillage involve?
• Tenancy
• A pupil’s view
• Third six pupillage

 

 

Areas of Work

 

A summary of chambers’ main areas of work is set out below. Click on the hyperlinked text to see more detailed information on our work in these areas in the main website.

 

Employment law encompasses a vast range of disputes between individuals and their employers whether in the Employment Tribunal or in the civil courts. Employment cases, particularly in the discrimination field, frequently make the headlines, and this is a fast-moving and exciting area of law with plenty of opportunity for advocacy from a very early stage. As well as disputes with individual employees, members of chambers are frequently instructed in large-scale collective employment disputes between trade unions and employers. More senior practitioners undertake a large amount of injunctive work where urgent court intervention is necessary, for example to prevent a former employee wrongly soliciting colleagues and customers, to ensure that a professional disciplinary process is not conducted without adequate safeguards, or even to prevent an unlawful strike.

 

We were named Employment Set of the Year for 2009 by Chambers & Partners and are ranked in the top band in both of the leading legal directories (Chambers & Partners and Legal 500) for our employment work. The directories note that “this set demonstrates quality throughout its ranks, offering “top-drawer specialist barristers” and “excellent junior juniors””.  

 

Commercial law incorporates banking, commercial fraud, company and insolvency disputes, litigation arising in the entertainment, media and sports industries, as well as public law claims. These claims are often very high value, with well-informed and successful clients demanding incisive and thorough advice grounded in a ‘real world’ commercial sense. Complex commercial litigation, often involving a team of lawyers led by a silk, requires intellectual rigour, detailed analysis and an unflappable approach from all those involved.  

 

Professional negligence includes claims against legal, financial and medical professionals. Often involving insurers, this area of work requires excellent judgment to be able to give sound advice as to prospects at all stages. Depending on the subject matter of the case, barristers also require the mental agility to quickly get to grips with an unfamiliar area of professional expertise. 

 

Mediation and arbitration are alternative forms of dispute resolution designed to avoid the need for cases to be litigated in court. Littleton Chambers was in the vanguard as ADR developed and its place in the legal world attained wide recognition. Now several senior members of chambers combine mediation and/or arbitration practices with their contentious work. This means that junior tenants quickly become familiar with ADR principles and are well placed to provide strategic advice to clients on its use. 

 

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Application and Selection Process

 

We offer up to two fully-funded pupillages each year. As we seek to recruit only pupils that we perceive to be strong candidates for tenancy, we will occasionally offer only one pupillage.

Chambers is a member of the Pupillage Portal. Please go to www.pupillages.com for details as to application requirements and timetable.

 

Many applicants, particularly those who have studied law at degree level, prefer to apply in the spring prior to commencement of the BVC. Successful candidates in this position can undertake the BVC with the benefit of an advance of part of their pupillage award (if desired) and in the knowledge that they have a place at which they can complete the vocational stage of their training. We are, however, equally happy to receive applications from candidates who have commenced or completed the BVC.

 

Our process generally comprises the following stages:

 

1. Sifting of applications. Initially we are looking for academic excellence, evidence of potential advocacy skills, and a genuine and considered interest in the bar in general and Littleton Chambers in particular. 
2. First round interview. As with all of our interviews, candidates will be presented with a legal problem question which they will be asked to discuss with an interviewing panel. The problems are designed to test legal reasoning, advocacy skills and potential, rather than detailed knowledge of authorities. We take account of the fact that non-law graduates may have had a less thorough training in legal principles. 
3. Mini-pupillage. This is perhaps the most important part of our selection process. Successful candidates are invited to spend a week in chambers, during which they will see the work of a junior tenant, have the chance to interact with clerks and tenants, and will gain exposure to solicitors and clients. You are likely to meet some members of chambers informally over lunch and we usually have a short drinks event at the end of the week. During the course of the week you will be asked to draft an opinion on a problem question and then asked to discuss it in an interview setting. Whilst we consider it preferable for candidates to spend the full week in chambers, we are able to discuss alternative arrangements with those who reach this stage but would have difficulty in attending chambers for a full week.   
4. Final interview. The final interview follows the same format as the first round interview using a different problem question.

 

We appreciate that our selection process is fairly rigorous. This is because we only recruit pupils whom we think are very likely to be offered tenancy at the end of the pupillage year.

Offers will be made as early as possible, in accordance with the Pupillage Portal timetable.

 

Our usual minimum academic requirement is a 2:1 degree. We will consider applications from candidates who have not attained this standard only in exceptional circumstances. Any such circumstances should be clearly identified and explained on your application form.

 

We value equality and diversity and we welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds and all sectors of the community. Candidates for pupillage and for tenancy are assessed solely on the grounds of merit. If you are disabled and require any adjustments to be made at any stage of the application and selection process then please inform us of this and we will attempt to accommodate your needs.

 

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Pupillage Funding

 

We believe that fair remuneration and financial certainty are important. Our pupils receive a pupillage award of £45,000, of which up to £10,000 can be drawn down up to one year in advance.

 

Our pupils keep all earnings received during their second six. This will typically amount to something in excess of £10,000. In addition, Chambers supports pupils by paying for external training courses undertaken during pupillage.

 

If you are successful in being offered tenancy at Littleton Chambers, you will also benefit from a one year rent-free period at the commencement of your tenancy.

 

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What pupillage involves

 

Pupils at Littleton Chambers receive training of five distinct types:

 

• on-the-job training, working with his or her pupil supervisor
• advocacy training
• assessed written work
• internal training courses, set up and run by members of chambers
• external training

 

Working with a pupil supervisor is the principal form of training. Our pupils spend time with at least two, and sometimes three or four, pupil supervisors in order to obtain exposure to a variety of different practices. Your pupil supervisors will provide support and guidance to you throughout your pupillage, ensuring that you understand not only the nuts and bolts of a barrister’s work, but also the ethical constraints which are such a distinctive feature of our professional life.

 

You will be asked to draft statements of case, prepare written Opinions and Skeleton Arguments, and to conduct legal research. Your pupil supervisor will give you access to the papers in the case and will expect you to prepare as if you were the barrister instructed by solicitors. The strengths and weaknesses of your work will be discussed with you, and your pupil supervisor will show you how he has completed the work. You will have the opportunity of seeing your pupil supervisor conduct cases in court or tribunal.

 

In addition to performing work for your pupil supervisor, you will also be asked to undertake work for other members of chambers. You will be set a number of formal assessed pieces of written work, and receive graded feedback on your performance. 

 

A number of training courses have been set up within chambers to focus on the development of your knowledge and skills:

 

• an induction course is run at the beginning of your pupillage so that you understand how chambers operates and what will be expected of you.
• advocacy: a series of practical exercises in the presentation of cases in court will be carried out, giving training in writing Skeleton Arguments, drafting Orders etc. as well as presenting oral argument.
• ethics training is conducted to discuss problems which arise in the course of professional practice.  The object of these seminars is to reinforce your knowledge and understanding of the Bar's Code of Conduct and how it impacts upon the way in which you conduct yourself in court and in your professional relations with counsel, solicitors and clients.  The emphasis is on problems which arise in the course of day-to-day practice.

 

External training is provided by the Inns of Court and pupils are encouraged to attend the various lectures and seminars offered by the specialist bar association.  We regard this training as an invaluable supplement to the training which we will give you.

 

After the first six months of your pupillage, you will be eligible to take on your own work. Typically, pupils in Littleton Chambers have been briefed once or twice a week. Your pupil supervisor will ensure that the work you are asked to do is appropriate and will provide support and assistance in the preparation of these briefs to ensure that your client receives the best possible service from you.

 

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Tenancy

 

We view each pupil whom we recruit as a potential new tenant. There is no element of internal competition. By this we mean that if a pupil achieves the requisite standard to be offered tenancy, a tenancy will be offered irrespective of the number of other pupils who also achieve that standard. Nevertheless, our standards are exacting because our aim is to recruit people who will contribute significantly to the success to Littleton Chambers. Tenancy is a long-term commitment, both for chambers and for the newly recruited tenant.

 

We aim to make tenancy decisions early enough to give any unsuccessful candidate a good opportunity to secure a third six pupillage at an alternative set. However, the precise date of the decision will depend on the circumstances in any particular year.

 

Tenancy decisions are made by chambers as a whole and consideration is given to:

 

• Legal analysis skills
• Drafting and other written skills
• Formal advocacy skills
• The ability to assimilate complicated facts and law quickly and accurately
• The ability to construct or destroy a line of argument
• The capacity to work well with others both inside and outside chambers
• Judgment
• A firm understanding of relevant professional standards

 

We do not expect that a person completing pupillage will be “the finished product”. However, we will not offer tenancy to someone in whom we do not have complete confidence.

 

Your final pupil supervisor will guide you in managing the transition from pupillage to independent practice and you will be given accommodation alongside more senior practitioners who will be able to offer support in the early days of practice.

 

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A pupil's view

By Alexander Robson

 

I remember clearly spending long hours looking through chambers’ websites, brochures and pupilage guides a few years ago. I, like most people, was looking for that ‘dream ticket’ combination: interesting and intellectually stimulating work, plenty of oral advocacy, lots of contact with varied clients – and all of this in a friendly, unstuffy environment where you are going to earn a healthy amount of money. All sets ticked some of the boxes. It seemed impossible to find one that ticked them all.

 

Littleton specialises in Employment and Commercial law. What this means for its pupils is exposure to a real variety of high quality civil work, from big money, multi-jurisdictional contractual disputes to sex discrimination – and plenty in between. Chambers is regularly instructed in the leading cases – often on both sides of the dispute.

 

When it comes to second six (and tenancy), these areas of specialism also mean advocacy. Chambers understands that most people do not come to the Bar with aspirations of reading papers for the first four years of their career. My pupil supervisors gave me as much responsibility as I was comfortable with. I also received a structured training, including a formal advocacy program and written exercises with lots of feedback to ensure I wasn’t thrust too far in to the deep end.

 

On my first day of second six I was on my feet in the Companies Court. Very quickly I was running my own cases – by the end of the first month I had acted for three Claimants in a £60,000 breach of contract claim. I had cross-examined and made impassioned speeches of dubious quality. Within 4 months Charlotte (my co-pupil) was running a five day discrimination / unfair dismissal case. By the end of her second six she had been formally instructed with her pupil supervisor in both the High Court and the Court of Appeal. I am yet to find another area of law that gives you such exposure so soon. It is thrilling and terrifying in equal measure, but it is the reason I wanted to be a barrister.

 

As for the atmosphere – people in Chambers are leaders in their fields, yes, but they are also friendly and down-to-earth. Modern day clients – whatever their circumstances – have no time for pomposity or self-importance, and people here realise that.

 

In terms of remuneration, you will earn £45k in a pupillage award and however much you can in the second six on top of that. In recent years second six pupils have typically earned in excess of £10k.

 

Most sets of chambers will tell you why they are good places to start your career. It’s a very difficult choice to make. But if you want high quality, challenging work, lots of advocacy, good remuneration and all in a relaxed, friendly environment then you should think seriously about applying here.

 

Alexander Robson was a pupil at Littleton Chambers in 2007-2008 and is the co-author of the guide The Path to Pupillage published by Sweet & Maxwell.

 

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Third Six Pupillage

 

From time to time we will consider applications for Third Six pupillage. In order to be considered candidates must have an outstanding academic background, have completed pupillage at a top ranking set of chambers and have excellent references from that set.

 

Enquiries should be made in the first instance to Samantha Higgins at samantha@littletonchambers.co.uk