Hi everyone!
In case you have not read the About section of my website, I initially embarked on a career at the Bar. One of the things I struggled with in 2017 as an aspiring barrister (especially as an individual that moved to the UK only for my studies) was finding information in terms of what to expect in the application process, how to prepare and the realities of the journey.
*Please bear in mind this was five years ago, a lot has changed since then and there are plenty of resources and organisations you can reach out to for assistance – these are detailed in the article below.
Even though I am now actually a Trainee Solicitor at Clifford Chance, I am a huge believer in making the legal profession accessible for all (be it for aspiring barristers or aspiring solicitors). Through my blog, I share information I wish I had access to back in the day. Knowing that it could really help someone and make their life a bit easier is what keeps me going.
Now, just to give you some background about how this particular article came about - last month, I collaborated with six juniors at the Bar. Together, we essentially shared our “Do’s and Don’ts of Pupillage Applications” (which can be accessed here). The juniors gave very thorough comments on one of my failed pupillage applications. I also shared snippets of my successful Clifford Chance application to show how differently I had phrased my answers. In two days of this article being released, we had over 2000 views and several messages saying it was some of the most detailed pupillage advice the pupillage hopefuls had seen. We also received over 50 requests for an article on tips for pupillage interviews.
To this end, I wrote to a few silks, other established practitioners and some juniors at the Bar to see if we could collaborate on an article regarding pupillage interviews. The response was incredible. So incredible, that I had to divide the article into two parts: the first article (this one) focuses on tips from silks (essentially a “view from the top”); and the second article, which will be released in the near future (so keep a look out!), focuses on tips from juniors and more established practitioners. It is truly amazing how many people care, want to make the Bar more accessible and took the time out of their busy days (despite some having trials!) just to make sure they could give you detailed information to help you succeed. To all the contributors, our gratitude is truly infinite.
Let us now get into what we actually came here to read: top tips for pupillage interviews from EIGHT silks!
AMANDA’S TOPPP TIPS INCLUDE:
T - True – You must be true to yourself. Although you are being interviewed, you are also interviewing. Even though it will probably feel very unequal, the interview should be as much an opportunity for you to think about whether you want to be surrounded by the people interviewing you and the ethos of the chambers. If there are things you want to ask about or things that matter to you, do not be afraid to raise them. This is important because, if you get an offer but you felt like you were not really yourself in the interview, things may not work out there.
O - Open minded – Some people might feel like they have no idea what type of law they want to get into, so they might opt for a general common law type pupillage (which is much more normal outside of London). Others might feel like they know what they want to do and may opt for very niche areas. I advise you not to close yourself off from experiencing different areas of law, even those you think you might not like. If you narrow down your options too much, you might be missing opportunities for yourself. Perceptions change in practice. Mine certainly did, as I was sure I did not want to do crime, but it turns out I love advocacy and my criminal pupillage meant for daily fun and excitement.
P - Preparation – When you think about interviews from the point of view of the interviewer, they will have heard most answers before. They know what is on their website. They know what they do. You really need to be familiar with why you want to be there and why they should want you and this is all about preparation. If, for example, you see something on the chambers’ website about an individual barrister, or a blog or news section that particularly appealed to you, these are the sorts of things you should think about talking about. Saying something like "I want to come to you because you are a great Set and you do landlord and tenant work", just is not enough. So, for every single pupillage interview you have, really think about who is on the receiving end and prepare with that in mind.
P - Practise – It is very different to have thought about your answers and even to have them written down but it can feel very different when you say them out aloud. Practise with a friend. Articulate and perfect them. Another thing to keep in mind is that oral advocacy and written advocacy are very different. Do some research on the different types of tasks you might be given at a pupillage interview and practise them too.
P - Passion – When you are in an interview and you meet someone who is genuinely interested and engaged, it makes such a big difference. If you have a passion for something in the law, then demonstrate that. If the Set interviewing you does not go for it, then they are not the right Set for you. And don’t give up on your passion, no matter what happens. If you keep on trying, you will get there.
SIMON’S TOP TIPS INCLUDE:
Tip 1: Pause for thought. You are always better of taking a moment and giving a well-structured, persuasive answer, than answering hastily. Points are awarded for accuracy, not speed.
Tip 2: Structure your answers. Barristers love lists. “There are three reasons, in my view. First…”. This helps your audience to follow the train of your reasoning – which is how we persuade judges. Unstructured answers are apt to confuse, or to suggest confused thinking.
Tip 3: Be nimble. The panel may well challenge you on some of your answers. Hold on to your good points tenaciously; concede your bad points gracefully. Where one argument is going nowhere, pivot to a better one.
Tip 4: Enjoy it. You will always do your best when you are relaxed and enjoying the challenge with which you are faced. And since pupillage interviews have a good deal in common with appearances in court – they are a form of oral advocacy – the (apparently) relaxed interviewee will make a better impression than the obviously nervous or unhappy one. (I appreciate just how difficult this advice may be to put into practice!)
Tip 5: You only need one good day. Everyone has bad days. Some of your interviews will go badly, some may be an unmitigated disaster. (Life at the Bar is much the same.) But you only need one good interview, so don’t beat yourself up too much about the ones that go badly. Reflect on them, learn from them, and move on.
LUCY’S TOP TIPS INCLUDE:
Tip 1: Control the narrative.
You have the advantage of the panel when it comes to your interviews. It’s very likely that you’ll be asked some questions about information you have included in your application. Therefore, to that extent at least, you control the narrative of your interview. So, if your form includes some interesting statements that you learned a lot about advocacy from watching submissions in a hearing during a mini-pupillage, expect to be asked more about that. What exactly did you learn? What was good, what was bad? Have you been able to use what you learned yourself, whether in a moot or discussion with a university committee or something else? If your form includes reference to specific cases you enjoyed studying or were interesting to research on a mini, or even a topic you wrote a dissertation on, expect to be asked more about that. I beg you not to answer a question about a case which you have said fascinated you – the poor interviewer is trying to give you a chance to show off here - by saying it was a year ago and you can’t really remember. Be prepared succinctly to summarise the main point, explain what was interesting, what your view was and what the arguments against were. Prepare your answers so that they provide more evidence to the panel of the skills that the chambers is looking for, as set out in that chambers’ selection criteria which pretty much all sets now publish.
Go through your whole form, identify all the points you might be asked to elaborate on (these will be points which relate to the selection criteria), and do this for every single one. Yes, it’s a lot of work.
Tip 2: Research what barristers say about the set/their practice area.
Make sure you have properly understood what it is really like to work at that set and/or in that practice area (broadly described: for example my chambers does construction. We don’t expect you to know anything about that, but commercial practice more generally). That way, you will have a better and deeper understanding of why and how the skills that the set says it is looking for (in their selection criteria) are applicable, and how you can prepare answers which meet those requirements.
If you are applying to criminal sets, the Secret Barrister’s books are essential background reading. Bewigged and Bewildered by Adam Kramer QC includes a lot of extremely helpful information, including as to what the various practice areas involve. TargetJobs Law’s YouTube channel has many years of videos of the talks given at their National Pupillage Fair by barristers across all the practice areas – this is information straight from the horse’s mouth. Legal Cheek has reviews and ratings of many sets (some specifically from a pupillage perspective). Lots of chambers provide extensive information on their own websites, including articles and videos. Make sure you’ve read and watched those for your sets. If you are doing a mini-pupillage or attending an advice session run by the Inns or your Bar Course provider or otherwise have access to a barrister, ask them what the best and worst aspects of their practice area are, what they think are the key skills in practice and if you have an idea about the work, test it out on them first before you use it in an interview. Use the information you get to relate it to your own skills and experience, so that answers you give (a) are informed and credible and (b) provide evidence you personally meet their selection criteria.
Tip 3: Current legal affairs questions.
I think the best way to prepare for this kind of question is just to read the broadsheet papers and decide what your view is and why. You won’t be asked about anything obscure. You might be asked to give your view on a current legal issue which you find interesting (ie you pick the specific topic). You might be asked about something specific to the type of work done by the chambers to which you are applying. Tailor your reading accordingly. The Guardian is free to access online. You might be able to access the Times online via law library subscriptions or your Inn. Legal Twitter (start with @davidallengreen and @BarristerSecret and go on from there) is constantly discussing law-related current affairs and might help you form a view and see what the counter-arguments are.
Tip 4: How to keep nerves in check.
The short answer is that it isn’t possible to keep your nerves wholly in check – and nor do you need to. You will be nervous before your interviews, and nervous before every court hearing you ever do, for the rest of your career. A few nerves are good for your performance. My brilliant colleague in Chambers, Adam Constable QC, says that as a barrister you should be on average 30% nervous all the time. I call it the Constable Quotient. The first point to make about the Constable Quotient is that that’s a lot of nerves. So you can take comfort from the fact that you’re supposed to feel fairly pressured. It’s a pressured situation. The second point is that 30% is enough so that you are motivated to do lots of prep work, check everything and pay meticulous attention to detail. It’s also not enough to derail you.
In terms of nerves that turn into panic, I think there are three solutions. The first is undoubtedly preparation. The second is developing a solution which you know helps you to calm down – this is different for everyone. Talking to friends and others who are either applying at the same time or who have just done it. Listening to music. Going out for a walk. Meditation or breathing exercises. Developing a mantra. All of the above. The third is remembering that although interviews always feel like the panel are trying to trip you up or trick you, they’re not. They’re trying their best to enable you to shine – it’s in their interests for everyone to be on best form, right? So if you have prepared, you will be able to give good answers, and the panel will be willing you on the whole time.
Tip 5: Novelty questions.
Hopefully there aren’t many chambers asking this sort of thing anymore. There obviously isn’t one solution to this kind of question: the real issue is your mind going blank (I’m quite sure mine would). I think the answer is to bear in mind that what the panel is interested in is not what you think but how you think. So you can’t really give a wrong answer; you just need to be able to argue in support of it. I think just take a deep breath and try your best.
SA’AD’S TOP TIPS INCLUDE:
Tip 1: If you get through the pupillage application stage and you are now preparing for a pupillage interview, well done. Give yourself a pat on the back because it means you are doing something right.
Tip 2: It can be a daunting experience to be presented in front of a panel of barristers asking questions. So it can be helpful to set yourself at ease. To do this, I would suggest two things. First, do your research about the chambers you have an interview with so you know what their practice areas are very well. Make sure you are not going to be making a misstep by suggesting that they do work that they do not do. Second, if you can, find out who is going to be on the panel interviewing you. Chambers usually know this a week before your interview. If you are able to find out, look up the barristers and see who they are.
Tip 3: When it comes to the actual interview, different chambers have different modes of interview. But from my understanding, and certainly in our set, it is much more common to have a structured problem-based interview than it is to have a general interview that asks questions about an interviewee's interests etc. As with all tests or exams, you should be provided with a pack that contains everything about what you are expected to do. It is really important to not just dive into the problem. Read the guidance notes which will indicate how to tackle it and present it. For example, at our chambers, we set different problem questions every year. One of the instructions in our guidance notes is "This is not a role play. You do not have to pretend you are a barrister giving advice to clients". This is really important because it completely changes the tone of how you present. To give you another illustration, we always say "our problems are not a test of your legal knowledge". In other words, you are not expected to identify ten points and read off the leading Supreme Court cases about those points. If you did that, it would actually be a point against you because we are interested in the analysis of the principles and not how many cases you know. The instructions vary on the chambers and the types of problems that they set. So make sure you understand what is expected of you so that you perform to that expectation.
Tip 4: Bearing in mind that a pupillage interview is a daunting experience, remind yourself that the panel are people who want you to succeed. This is not intended to be a trial by ordeal where they are being mean to advocates to see what ability they have to withstand difficult situations. They want you to give the right answer and to respond well to their questions. So when you are asked questions, to probe your answer, it is really important not to think that this is not some underhand attempt to trap you to give a wrong answer and it is equally important not to think that changing your mind in response to a question or suggestion is always a bad thing or means that you are revealing some failing. Quite a lot of what is being tested in these interviews is how agile are you in your thinking, how responsive you are to new thoughts and ideas, how adaptable you are to changing circumstances and how unflappable you are in circumstances where a new idea is being introduced. So remember, it is not important what the first answer you give is, but how you respond to questions after in the course of the interview.
Tip 5: At the end of an interview, we tend to ask if you have any questions for us. You don't always have to ask because most chambers have a wealth of information of their website. So if you really have a question, then this is your opportunity to ask, but do not feel like you have to just for the sake of it.
Tip 6: If you aren't successful, don't be daunted because even amongst those who are called to interviews, the ratios of interviewees to places is huge. Make sure to ask for feedback. A lot of chambers give meaningful feedback which is specific to you.
Tip 7: If you have special circumstances that need to be taken account of, do not hide it away. It is worth saying because remember chambers are looking to help you. They ought to be making reasonable adjustments for you.
PROFESSOR JO’S TOP TIPS INCLUDE:
Professor Jo was very kind and shared the link of an extremely detailed talk she did at Gresham on understanding everything to do with getting into the Bar.
I have copied in extracts from the talk for your ease of reference, but I would really recommend making the time to watch the full talk. This is the link https://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/barrister-insiders-guide
“Tip 1: Google and thoroughly research your chambers. Check the news for law angles.
As a barrister, you have got to be a problem solver. You have got to be curious. You must take responsibility for accessing all the information there is on the web, Bar School, Chambers, Inns and the Bar Council that you understand what the process is about. I am not apologetic in saying that to you because the one thing you are going to have to demonstrate if you want to be a barrister is that you are self-directed, self-motivated and independent learner who is prepared to seek out information yourself and then apply it to the courts.
If there is a case coming up, go and see if you can sit in it. When watching the case, do not look at what the senior members of chambers are doing alone, look at what the juniors are doing. Think about whether you could be them in a few years and what type of cases they are doing. Google them and everyone. With a twitter and LinkedIn profile, you can see what people are doing in their professional and personal life. This is useful not just in increasing your knowledge of the chambers and its members, but in particular, it builds up a confidence that you have a better base to answer questions from.
Also, talking about social media, all of your social media activity will be looked at as part of your pupillage application. Be careful with what you put out there.
Tip 2: Elaborate, don’t fabricate.
When you are thinking of examples, it is almost inevitable that you will gild the lily slightly. None of you are likely to be a senior judge in junior form. So elaborate, do not fabricate. If you fabricate, we will find you out. Remember, one of our skills it to detect a liar from miles away and to hone in and kill. We will suss you out if you are giving out an example you cannot justify.
Tip 3: Practice out loud.
Perfect what you want to say. Be conscious of any mistakes, “umm’s” or “ah’s”. For example, my husband gave me a mock silk interview the day before my real interview. I was a disaster. I was so bad because I thought I had the answers in my head, but I had not practised getting them out. There is no way I would have gotten silk because I simply had not set the memory track between my brain and my tongue to let the words come out with the ease with which I had them in my head. I then practised, aced the interview and got silk. I would have not gotten it if I had done the interview the day before. Do not wait until that stage until you practise.
Tip 4: Get used to failure.
This is important because time you go into court, one of you is going to fail because you won’t win the case (just take a pause and let the ripple of that realisation drip through).
When you are applying to the Bar, you have to understand that it is an incredibly competitive business, against very able people, who will all want the same things as you, and will have the same skills that they are trying to deploy as you.
You will have rejections for pupillage. Very few people get pupillage on their first application. There may be other reasons for it, but sometimes we just do not spot your potential. This does not mean to say you will not be brilliant in another application or another career if you decide to move, but failure is just something you are going to have to get used to – mortifying, humiliating and painful as it is, because it will be part of your working life. Just remember, for every failure, the next day there may be a success for you to grab on to. You will then forget everything you went through before.
Tip 5: Treat applying to the Bar as if it is a case.
You are the client, what are you advocating for? Where are the weak points? Identify them and work on them. Buff up your strong points. This is the most important case you are going to argue and it can’t have a more important subject: you and your future.
Work out what your star selling point is, make it adaptable so you can run it over a number of types of questions.
Tip 6: Work on your competencies.
Here is a short list of competencies for the Bar:
Oral advocacy
Written advocacy
Client management
Attention to detail
Thinking on your feet
Working under pressure
Commercial awareness
Self-motivation/drive
Leadership skills
Research skills
Getting into the Bar requires resilience, adaptability and determination. All of the skills above are what you should be thinking about in your daily life that you can apply to them. You do not have to hit all the buttons, but having some will be good.
Tip 7: Use the resources available.
Some useful resources include:
Inns of Court (advice sessions, podcasts, mentorship programmes); and
pupillageandhowtogetit.com . This website is witty, it is erudite, it is hard-hitting, it is focused and it is awesome.”
Note from Arooj: other resources include reaching out to organisations such as Bridging the Bar and BME Legal.
ALEXANDER’S TOP TIPS INCLUDE:
Tip 1: Renew your research on the chambers you have got an interview at. Make sure you know which areas of law they specialise in, which may be more specialised than just ‘commercial’ or ‘public law’. Chambers websites, and the individual barristers’ pages on those websites, are good, but online directories will give you an idea which areas those chambers really have their reputation in.
Tip 2: Try to be up to date with the main news stories, in case you are asked about them, and in particular any recent news with a legal connection. Be ready to offer a balanced view with respect to both sides of the argument, particularly on political stories.
Tip 3: Be ready to talk about things on your CV in more detail, and also to explain any gaps there may be on your CV. Most experience of life, even if not obviously relevant to practice at the bar, is a learning experience, and could help the panel get to know you as a person.
Tip 4: Some chambers ask you to take part in a mock conference, as if you are advising a client in chambers. Prepare for this by thinking about how barristers you may have seen in mini-pupillages did this, and what you would change about that. Perhaps role-play something similar with your friends. And think about the type of client you are advising – just a solicitor or an experienced company director, or an ordinary person who will need legal terms explaining.
Tip 5: You will be nervous (if you are human), but try to relax and be normal, without being matey or inappropriately informal. Have confidence in yourself! You’ve got this far – you deserve this! But don’t be arrogant, and don’t bullshit to try to preserve the illusion of confidence – interviewers are likely to see through that – so if you don’t know, say so.
SAIMA’S TOP TIPS INCLUDE:
A crucial element of the preparation for an interview is having the right mindset. You should approach the interview process confidently. Don’t see it as something to be feared – see it as a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate to the Panel that you have the necessary skills and ability to do the job. As an advocate, your very purpose is to convince the Court that you have the better case; an interview is no different. Typically, sets will have first and second round interviews. First rounds tend to be shorter in duration: you may be asked something based on your pupillage application (so make sure you know it inside out) and/or given a proposition to debate. Second round interviews are more intensive, and candidates are usually given a set of papers to review, following which they present an argument to the interview Panel. The Panel are looking to assess your raw intellectual competence, your ability to digest and consider information and your oral advocacy. Can you think logically and present your arguments succinctly and persuasively? Have you identified the key points in the problem? Can you deal with difficult questions from the panel? These attributes are essential to practice at the Bar, and you need to show the panel that you possess them. Your substantive legal knowledge is not being tested (legal materials are usually provided) hence you cannot prepare for the exercise in a formal sense. What you can do however is make sure you are well rested and relaxed, as this will be more conducive to a good interview . Finally, try and enjoy the process: if you enjoy the challenge of grappling with an abstract legal problem, this will definitely show in how you present yourself and is much more likely to engender a strong, confident performance.
SARABJIT’S TOP TIPS INCLUDE:
Tip 1: Thoroughly research the Set you have applied to. Look at their website, but not just their website. Look at Legal500, Chambers and Partners and read into some of the cases the Barristers have been in. Gather intelligence and get an idea of the work they really do.
Tip 2: Play the game and give the Sets you are interviewing at what they want. They want to know you are interested in their work. Do not come up to a Set which you think specialises in Banking Law but actually does more Clinical Negligence. When people make an effort to understand what the Sets they are interviewing at actually specialise in, they are the ones that really stand out.
Tip 3: Do not try to impress the people you are interviewing. That will just make you self-conscious. Just engage with the questions you are being asked. Do not worry about how you come across. Just do your best. Go with the flow. Be yourself.
Tip 4: As difficult as it is, do not care about the outcome. This just puts unnecessary pressure on you. I do not mean you shouldn't prepare for the interview and give it your best, but the outcome is out of your control. You cannot control what they interviewers say and what they think.
Tip 5: Be engaging. Smile. Do not be overly formal. Just be a human being.
Many thanks to the silks again for their valuable contributions. We hope the above helps and we would love to hear from you in the comments below if it does.
All the best with your interviews!