Pupillage Vacancy Information
About Authorised Education and Training Organisation
Routinely ranked as one of the top chambers for family law by the major guides to the legal profession, we can justifiably lay claim to being the most modern and dynamic of the top specialist family law sets. Our record of recruitment from amongst our own pupils is second-to-none, and our pupils – both those who are recruited, and those who are not – comment on the thoroughness of the training they receive here, and the friendliness of the set as a place in which to complete their training. As an organisation, our belief, and experience, is that the source of our ongoing success is in our pupils and junior members. The level of our pupillage award and our commitment to the pupillage programme is a testament to the strength of that belief.
The Legal 500 describes us as an “excellent set with incredible talent at all levels”. Chambers & Partners is in a similar vein, describing us as a set with “demonstrable strength at silk and junior level that assists clients in both children and divorce proceedings” with “sought after” members. Many members, both silks and juniors, are individually listed as leaders in the field in both directories.
Recent cases involving members of chambers include the Supreme Court appeals in Unger & anor v Ul-Hasan & anor [2023] UKSC 22, Villiers v Villiers UKSC 2018/0114, Mills v Mills [2018] UKSC 38, Sharland v Sharland [2015] UKSC 60, and Vince v Wyatt [2015] UKSC 15 and the Court of Appeal appeals in Tousi v Gaydukova [2024] EWCA Civ 203, Xanthopoulos v Rakshina [2024] EWCA Civ 100, Cazalet v Abu-Zalaf [2023] EWCA Civ 1065, Simon v Simon [2023] EWCA Civ 1048, Goddard-Watts v Goddard-Watts [2023] EWCA Civ 115, Azarmi-Movafagh v Bassiri-Dezfouli [2021] EWCA Civ 1184, Villiers v Villiers [2022] EWCA 772, Moher v Moher [2019] EWHC Civ 1482, Lachaux v Lachaux [2019] EWCA Civ 738, Brack v Brack [2018] EWCA Civ 2862, Sharp v Sharp [2017] EWCA Civ 408, Hart v Hart [2018] EWCA Civ 1058 and [2017] EWCA Civ 1306.
Areas of work
We offer specialist knowledge in every aspect of family law. Work is largely based in London and the South East, but all members practice nationwide with many practitioners practicing regularly in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and the other main regional centres. We boast a strong team of top-flight matrimonial finance practitioners, dealing with domestic and international cases. We have expertise in all aspects of the law relating to children; including abduction and adoption. In public law cases we act for parents, local authorities and guardians. We also specialise in work arising out of the Civil Partnership Act 2004, TLATA and the Inheritance Act.
Financial and Other Support Available
We offer a Pupillage Award of £50,000 which is paid in two equal tranches (the first in your first week of pupillage and the second coinciding with the commencement of the second six months). This is separate and in addition to anything pupils earn in their second six months of pupillage.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
29 Bedford Row has its own Equality & Diversity Policy and Equality & Diversity Committee (chaired by Roshi Amiraftabi). The introduction to that Policy underlines our commitment to promoting Equality & Diversity as follows:
29 Bedford Row Chambers Limited is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all barristers, employees, workers, job applicants, pupils and mini pupils. We aim to create a working environment in which all individuals are able to make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit.
We do not discriminate against individuals on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (protected characteristics).
The principles of non-discrimination and equality of opportunity also apply to the way in which we treat visitors, clients, customers, suppliers and former staff members.
We do not discriminate against individuals on the basis of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (protected characteristics).
The principles of non-discrimination and equality of opportunity also apply to the way in which we treat visitors, clients, customers, suppliers and former staff members.
In the event that any prospective candidate has concerns about a disability or accessing Chambers, both for the purpose of their interview or on a longer term basis, they can contact either our Chambers Administrator, Nicola Kessell (nkessell@29br.co.uk), or in the alternative, Richard Tambling (rtambling@29br.co.uk).
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’. Alongside the Bar Council standardised questionnaire you will be asked the following questions by chambers.
- Why do you believe you will make a good barrister? (Character count 1100)
- Why do you want to join our chambers? (Character count 1100)
- Discuss a recent family law case (from the last 12 months) that interested you. (Character count 1100)
