Pupillage Vacancy Information
About Authorised Education and Training Organisation
1 Crown Office Row Brighton are a leading set on the South Eastern circuit. Please see our website, www.1cor/Brighton/ for details of our work and latest news. We very much look forward to hearing from you.
Structure of Pupillage
1 Crown Office Row Brighton are seeking one candidate for a 12 month civil focused pupillage for October 2026. Although this is a civil focused pupillage, throughout pupillage there will be opportunities for pupils to experience work in chambers’ other areas of practice.
For more information on the structure of pupillage and what to expect please see the pupillage section on our website.
Financial and Other Support Available
Pupillage is funded by way of a fixed award of £15,000 in the first six months (which is generally tax free). In the second six months, the further £15,000 is paid on a “guaranteed earnings” basis. In this arrangement, any earnings received in this period (i.e. not work billed but payments actually received from clients) are offset against the award paid. In this way, pupils are guaranteed a minimum income of £15,000 during this period and if they were to receive fees of more than £15,000 in their own right they will retain all those earnings with no deductions for Chambers expenses. Over the last 5 years civil focused pupils have earned in considerable excess of that sum.
Once offered a confirmed pupillage place, the future pupil may apply to draw down up to 20% of the award in advance to assist in meeting his or her costs arising during the Bar Training Course (or any other suitable education or experience undertaken in the year before the start of pupillage), subject to signing an undertaking to repay the sum so advanced in the event of not eventually taking up the pupillage place.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
1 Crown Office Row Brighton once again will assess pupillage applicants using a contextual marking approach. Grades and academic achievement information supplied by applicants will be assessed in the context of the applicant’s educational background more widely. Our new approach aims to remove the effects of unconscious bias in our process and to ensure that we interview candidates from a more diverse range of backgrounds.
How to Apply
Aspiring barristers are invited to apply to chambers between 2 January 2025 and 6 February 2025 using the Pupillage Gateway application system to search for the relevant Pupillage Vacancy and selecting ‘Apply for this pupillage’.
Candidates will be asked to respond to the following questions from Chambers:
- Why do you believe you will make a good barrister? (Word Limit 150)
- Why do you want to join 1 Crown Office Row Brighton? (Word Limit 150 )
- Please give us an example of a time that you have worked under pressure? (Word Limit 150 )
- If you could change one law what would it be and why? (Word Limit 300 )
- Tell us something interesting about yourself? (Word Limit 150 )
Applications will be evaluated at each stage by considering how each applicant meets the following selection criteria:
- Intellectual and analytical ability, including an ability to present written ideas succinctly and persuasively;
- Oral communication and advocacy skills;
- Temperament, including a commitment to hard work and ability to perform under pressure;
- Interpersonal Skills, including a capacity to understand and to show understanding of the needs and problems of those for whom and with whom they work;
- Motivation for a career at the Bar and pupillage at 1 Crown Office Row, Brighton.
