A guide to finding your way to the bar
- 1. + Finding Your Way to the Bar Q&A With St. Philips Chambers Thomas Horton ICSA Rep Holdsworth Committee 2012-2013
- 2. + What you need to know… BPTC The Bar Professional Training Course: this is a one year (or two year if part time) course taken after your University studies. The Course will teach you the skills required for advocacy, allowing you to specialise in particular areas of law. Costs for this course cost between £12,000-£16,000. The following institutions offer the BPTC: BPP Law School, The College of Law, University of West England, Cardiff University, Nottingham Trent University, City Law School, Manchester Met University, Northumbria, and Kaplan Law School
- 3. + What you need to know… Mini-pupillage A work placement that usually lasts from 3 days – 1 week within a set of Chambers. You will be assigned to a Barrister whom you’ll shadow. The areas of law seen will differ depending on the Barrister’s expertise. Pupillage The Barrister’s equivalent of the training contract that a solicitor attains. Pupillage comes after completion of the the BPTC and usually lasts one year, which is made up of two six-month periods. The first sixth will be spend shadowing a Pupil Master, and the second sixth will be spent practising in a range of legal matters assigned to them. Upon completion you will be a certified barrister… who will need to find Tenancy (being a tenant under Chambers)
- 4. + What you need to know… Marshalling/Shadowing a Judge: Self-explanatory. A set period of time (usually no more than 5 days) where one shadows a judge in their day-to-day duties in Court. Attainable through contacting your local Court. Inns of Court: All Barristers must belong to one of the Inns of Court (see next slide) which provide supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. All four are located in London. They offer scholarships to prospective BPTC students (all information can be found on their websites). Twelve Dinners must be attended during your training for the Bar. Chambers Barristers work within a set of Chambers under a Tenancy Agreement: barristers pay a rent to their chambers in return for work received and accommodation (office).
- 5. + First and Second Year Assess your motivation and skills to become a barrister Research the Inns of Court: Grays Lincoln Inner Middle Attend careers events (as you are now, congratulations!) Build a professional CV (workshops will be available) Research Chambers Apply for mini-pupillages and other related legal work experience, such as: Marshalling/Shadowing a Judge, Victim Support, Citizens Advice Bureau, Pro Bono
- 6. + Final Year Autumn Term: Join one of the four Inns of Court (if not already done so) Apply for scholarships provided for by your Inn and plan financial arrangements for the BPTC (looks at Professional and Career Development Loans if needed) Apply for the BPTC via www.barprofessionaltraining.org.uk Spring Term Investigation pupillage opportunities and attend pupillage fairs Consult the Pupillages Portal (www.pupillageportal.com) for upcoming vacancies/Apply for pupillages outside of the online system (research into your desired Chambers will inform you of which option is needed) Summer and onwards Check applications for both BPTC and Pupillages (the former more likely to be the successful at this stage of your career)
- 7. + Post-BPTC Pupillage Extremely difficult to attain in such a saturated market. In 2010/2011 there were 2,865 applicants for less than 450 pupillages. Accordingly, 1 in 6 applicants will be successful. DO NO LET THIS PUT YOU OFF!
- 8. + Model CV Joe$Bloggs$ Education:$ 2010$2013:'' ' The$University$for$Intelligent$People$ Final'Year'Law'(LLB)'Student' Second'year'grade'received:'2:1'$' ' Jurisprudence:'68' ' Property'Law:'66' ' Equity'and'Trusts:'62' ' European'Law:'60' In'receipt'of'the'Intelligent'Scholarship'for'being'intelligent' ' 2007$2009:' ' The$College$for$Intelligent$People$ A'Levels:' English'Literature'and'Language'(A)'' Government'and'Politics'(A)'' Law'(A)' AS'Levels:'Film'Studies'(A)' ' 2002$2007:' ' The$School$for$Intelligent$People$ $ $ $ GCSE’s:'9'(2A*,'1A,'4B,'2C)' ' ' ' Legal$Experience:$ $ · Citizens( Advice( Bureau( and( Pro( Bono:' Throughout' my' gap' year' I' volunteered'twice'a'week'at'the'Citizens'Advice'Bureau'in'Oldbury.'Working' as'a'trained'adviser'involved'interviewing'clients'and'advising'them'on'their' legal'issues.'I'researched'their'problems,'referred'them'to'relevant'bodies,' drafted'financial'assessments,' contacted' bodies'on' their' behalf'and'wrote' letters'on'their'behalf.'I'have'been'selected'by'my'University'to'be'part'of'the' free'legal'advice'team'that'the'Pro'Bono'group'offers'on'matters'concerning' immigration'and'asylum'in'cooperation'with'No.'5'Chambers,'Birmingham.! · John(Smith’s(Solicitors:'The'areas'of'law'I'was'involved'with'at'Talbot’s'were' Property,' Family' and' Criminal.' The' experience' of' property' and' family' litigation' further' developed' my' interest' in' Civil' Law.' Working' within' a' solicitor’s'office'confirmed'that'I'wished'to'pursue'a'career'at'the'Bar,'as' being'self$employed'and'the'advocacy'requirements'attract'and'suit'me.! · Mooting:'I'participated'in'the'Allen'and'Overy'Mooting'Competition'during' my'first'year'of'University'and'the'Camm'Cup'Mooting'Competition'in'my' second'year.'I'achieved'high'marks'in'both'of'the'moots.'I'have'developed'the' foundation' skills' of' advocacy,' the' understanding' of' the' importance' of' organisational' abilities,' and' of' court' etiquette' when' submitting' my' arguments.'I'have'been'specially'selected'for'the'University'of'Birmingham' Mooting'Committee,'which'was'based'on'the'scores'I'received'in'previous' mooting'competitions.'! · Mini(Pupillage:!Cornwall' Street' Chambers,' Birmingham' January' 2012;' St.' Philips' Chambers,' Birmingham' July' 2012;' St.' Ives' Chambers,' Birmingham' October'2012.! · Marshalling:'Lord'Neuberger'MR,'Court'of'Appeal,'June'2012! · Committee( Position:' This' elected' position' requires' me' to' liaise' with' Chambers'and'the'four'Inns'of'Court'to'arrange'events'with'my'University.' Students'at'the'Law'School'will'come'to'me'for'career'help'and'advice'they' require'on'further'education'after'University'to'pursue'a'career'at'the'Bar.'! $$ Extra$Curricular:$ $ · Debating:'I'am'a'member'of'the'University'of'Birmingham'Debating'Society,' which' runs' weekly' workshops' and' internal' and' external' debating' competitions.' My' public' speaking' abilities' have' augmented' through' my' involvement.! · Writing:' I' have' a' passion' for' writing' and' do' so' for' the' ‘Comments' and' Features’' section' of' the' Redbrick' Newspaper.' My' articles' usually' revolve' around' topical' news' stories' concerning' political' and' legal' matters.' The' newspaper' is' in' circulation' around' University' campus' and' in' the' local' student'area.! · Politics:'My'keen'interest'in'politics'stems'from'my'personal'and'academic' involvement.' I' have' participated' in' internships' in' the' constituency' of' Stourbridge,'represented'by'Margot'James'MP.'This'allowed'me'to'become' actively' involved' throughout' the' election' campaign,' with' casework' of' constituents'and'local'events.'! · Sport:'I'am'a'great'lover'of'sports'and'this'has'been'apparent'throughout'my' life.'I'currently'play'for'the'Holdsworth'Club'football'team'playing'against' other' departments' of' the' University' and' external' teams'as' well.'I' greatly' enjoy'playing'football,'rugby'and'weightlifting.! $ Employment:$ $ · Studentbeans.com,'2010'–'Present.'Brand'Manager'(Birmingham).$ · Topshop,'Bull'Ring,'Birmingham.'2010'–'Present.'Sales'Assistant.$ · HSBC,'Birmingham.'2009'–'2010.'Collections'Adviser.$ · Office,'Merry'Hill'Shopping'Centre,'Dudley.'2008'–'2009.'Sales'Assistant.$ · Marks'and'Spencer’s,'Merry'Hill'Shopping'Centre,'Dudley.'2007'–'2008.'Sales' Assistant.$ ' Personal$Details:$ $ Contact'Address:'The'Cupboard'Under'the'Stairs,'4'Privet'Drive,'Little'Whinging,' Surrey' Email:'joebloggs@hotmail.co.uk' ' DOB:'25th'August'1991' Ethnicity:'White,'British'(typical)' ' References$
- 10. + Q&A Session with: James Bruce Hannah Tidesley Natasha Partos