Hi everyone!
In today’s blogpost I share two of my own cover letters which helped me land eight mini-pupillages. The cover letters were tailored to each barrister’s chamber. The first is for a Trusts Law chamber, the second is for an Intellectual Property chamber. I am of course working in very different areas of law now, but that’s why its super important to get as much experience in a variety of different areas as your perception about a particular area might be completely different to what you experience during your mini-pupillage.
For example, I initially really wanted to do Intellectual Property, but when I did my mini-pupillages, I realised having a science degree was the general rule and law was the exception (mostly for barristers). Although the chambers made me feel like it was not disadvantageous in any way, what made me realise I did not want to specialise in it was when we went to court, I sat in on hearings relating to the cells in cows, magnetic fields around some machines and something relating to submarines. I just felt like i would not be able to be passionate about my cases because i was just not interested in science like that. I also just want to caveat this and say that I do not want to discourage anyone interested in Intellectual Property. Just because it was not for me, does not mean it won’t be for you. Also, I did not have an opportunity to get exposure to more ‘soft’ Intellectual Property disputes such as over copyright, trademarks or designs. In all my mini-pupillages I only came across patent related work and if you think about it, for something to be patented it has to be novel in the world - such things would usually be machines, pharmaceuticals etc., so of course they would have a scientific element to it. I would therefore encourage you to still explore the area to see if it is right for you.
With regards to Trusts, I realised that as much as I enjoyed studying it at University, I didn’t enjoy the practice as much.
For cover letters generally, I think it’s really important to bring out your personality through the experiences you have had. I also think you need to delve further into what you have learnt from each work experience and explain why it is relevant to the work the chamber you are applying to is doing.
For any aspiring barristers looking to apply for mini-pupillages, I hope these can serve as a useful guide when drafting your cover letter.
COVER LETTER FOR A TRUSTS LAW CHAMBER
[My address]
[Date]
[The Chamber’s address]
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to apply for a mini-pupillage at [ ] as advertised on your website. I recently graduated from Cardiff University with a First Class Honours in Law, having completed the first two years of my degree at Taylor’s University Malaysia. I am currently studying the BPTC at BPP University London having received a full scholarship from the Inner Temple. Please find my CV attached.
In 2012, I undertook work experience with an English qualified Barrister, in Kenya and had the opportunity to attend court hearings. This experience allowed me to see first-hand the advocacy skills used. From this experience, I learnt the importance of being persuasive and being able to justify your case. I applied what I learnt here in the debates and Model United Conferences I participated in at both national and international level; and in the mooting competitions I participated in at university level - and was awarded the best speaker in the room. Through these experiences, I leant that a career at the bar was the perfect choice for me as I learnt that: I enjoy public speaking and formulating my own opinions; and I thrive on complete control of my own affairs.
In an attempt to understand the areas of law that interest me, I have undertaken several internships. I interned with [ ], an arbitration firm in Kenya. While at the firm, I was asked to carry out research pertaining to civil fraud. Through this experience, I learnt that the lack of robust disclosure and information gathering requirements one may face from onshore tax haven countries, and the establishment of the true beneficial owners of assers can be massive barriers to the equitable remedies available in fraud cases. Further, through this experience, I was also able to hone my research, communication and interpersonal skills as I had to present my research to the team. I then used the skills I acquired to get elected as the Taylor’s Law Society President and student representative for the Taylor’s Legal Aid service. Considering I was awarded the Best Overall Performer for: Year 1 and Year 2; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Research & Writing; and Intellectual Property, at Taylor’s University whilst simultaneously juggling responsibility as the Taylor’s Law Society President and Student Representative for the Taylor’s Legal Aid service, I am convinced I have acquired time-management, multi-tasking and organisational skills, all of which are necessary for a career at the bar.
Further, I undertook a mini-pupillage at [ ]. I sat in on one of the hearings of the landmark case [ ] where the discretionary trusts set up were found to be a sham. This experience was extremely rewarding as I was able to witness a new head of claim for a creditor wishing to attack the assets of a trust being born. Moreover, my experience at this Chambers was also rewarding as I was able to discuss my views on the law of illegality and the case of Patel v Mirza [2016] with [ ], the author of [ ] Trusts Law. Through this experience, I was able to develop my analytical skills and I learnt that I have an interest in traditional chancery as I perceived it to be the perfect mélange of intellectual rigour and presentation.
Additionally, I Interned with [ ] of [ ]. During this experience, I researched on a case which involved a company acting as an agent for a government, and the issue was whether the corporate veil could be pierced to access the government’s assets. This experience allowed me to first handedly engage with the debate as to whether the principle of separate legal personality is calamitous and whether it has exercised an iron grip on company law. Through this experience, I learnt that the role of legal professionals in the business environment is gaining importance as laws are getting more stringent and complex. Additionally, during this experience, I was also exposed to very niche areas of taxation law and learnt about the difficulties associated with the statutory interpretation of Value Added Tax Act 1984. I believe this exposure is relevant to commercial chancery work due to statute-based nature of company and insolvency law.
Through the aforementioned experiences, I learnt that I am keen to grapple with cases that arise under the umbrella of commercial and traditional chancery. The cerebral nature of the work, the whole gamut of different areas of laws to be exposed to, and the international dimension offered by this area of law is very appealing to me. Further, I have a particular interest in Trusts Law as I perceive a Trust to be a living, breathing, common-law creature, unpredictable and somewhat arbitrary, yet having a role in softening the harshness of the law. I believe your Set is the perfect place for me to gain an unmatched level of exposure in the field, given your unparalleled reputation trusts law. This coupled with the fact that Chambers & Partners said you are a market-leading set for trusts work leaves no doubt in my mind that you would be the perfect fit for me.
Thank you for taking the time to read my application, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours faithfully,
Arooj Zahra Sheikh
COVER LETTER FOR AN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW CHAMBER
[My address]
[Date]
[The Chamber’s address]
Dear [ ],
I am writing to apply for a mini pupillage at [ ] as advertised on your website. I recently graduated from Cardiff University with a First Class Honours in Law, having completed the first two years of my degree at Taylor’s University Malaysia. I am currently studying the BPTC at BPP University London, having received a full scholarship from the Inner Temple. Please find my CV attached.
While at university, I have sought out experience relevant to a career as an Intellectual Property Barrister. In 2015, I interned at [ ]. I helped draft the terms and conditions for the company’s mobile application and became familiar with copyright and trademarks. I came to appreciate that the intellectual property rights offered to people act as an incentive to innovate. As a result of this protection, [ ] innovated and are today known as “[ ]’s search engine”. It was rewarding to see a company grow and be part of the experience. This affirmed my belief that I wanted to specialise in IP law. I applied what I learnt to the Intellectual Property module I undertook, I was awarded the best overall performer for the module in Taylor’s University.
Moreover, I carried out a mini-pupillage at [ ]. I realised that hard IP is technical and often requires a scientific background. Although I did not do science at a degree level, I do not believe this puts me in a disadvantageous position. I did Chemistry, Physics and Biology in my IGCSE’s where I received 2A*s and an A respectively. I then proceeded to do Chemistry in my A levels and attained an A in the subject. These subjects taught me the importance of structure. Once an experiment was conducted, data was collected, and then it would be recorded. The recorded data was then interpreted and analysed – with meticulous attention being paid to detail. Only after carrying out these tasks was it possible to make reasoned judgments. Once I applied this structure to subjects in law school, I was awarded the Best Overall performer in: Year 1 and 2; ADR and Research & Writing. This leads me to believe that I was able to transfer the skills I attained from high school to law school, just as I am convinced I will be able to transfer the legal skills I have attained in law school to any area of work with a technical and scientific background.
I have also carried out mini-pupillages with [ ] and [ ]. Although it was interesting to be exposed to a wide range of commercial matters, these experiences further strengthened my belief that I wanted to specialise in IP law as I liked the human involvement in IP cases, and I also liked that it involves the application of age old principles to every day new situations.
I believe your Set is the perfect place for me to gain more experience in the field of IP law given the Set’s unparalleled reputation in Intellectual Property law. This coupled with the fact that Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners noted both chambers as a whole as well as individual members as having superior level of advocacy and advice - and first handedly witnessing this by seeing [ ] in court, leaves no doubt in my mind that you would be the perfect fit.
Thank you for taking the time to read my application, and I look forward to hearing from you.
Yours Sincerely,
Arooj Zahra Sheikh