Pupillage Vacancy Information
About 2BR
2BR is known for its strength in depth, from the pupils in the magistrates’ court to more senior members appearing in the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court. There are currently 16 silks and 58 juniors who are tenants within Chambers.
Chambers has consistently been ranked by Chambers UK and Legal 500 as a top set and has been ever-present in ‘Band 1’ for Criminal and Fraud sets,
2BR has been awarded ‘Criminal Set of the Year’ on a number of occasions in recent times, along with the individual awards given to members of Chambers in Criminal and Regulatory fields, including ‘Silk of the Year’ and ‘Junior of the Year’. Chambers won the ‘Crime and Extradition Set of the Year’ award at the Legal 500 Bar Awards in October 2022.
This proven track record of success across the board is attributable to Chambers’ investment in the professional development of pupils through in-house advocacy training and lectures, as well as in the continued professional development of its tenants. This ensures that members of Chambers remain at the cutting edge of the profession.
As well as boasting some of the biggest household names at the defence bar, Chambers has a former First Senior Treasury Counsel, as well as a former standing counsel to the Health & Safety Executive and former standing counsel to HMRC. The result is that, both historically and currently, members of 2BR routinely prosecute and defend in the most high-profile cases in the country. Examples include:
- R v Wayne Couzens - the murder of Sarah Everard
- R v Harbi Ali – the murder of David Amess MP
- R v Levi Bellfield – notorious serial killer convicted of three murders
- R v Adebolajo and Adebowale – the murder of Lee Rigby
- R v Larcombe and others – News of the World phone hacking
- R v Al Jarah and others – Unaoil bribery scandal
Many members of Chambers are in the top level of prosecution panel lists, including the Health & Safety Executive List A of Special Advocates and Level 4 of the Crown Prosecution Service list for panel advocates. In addition to this, many tenants sit as legal assessors for professional regulators, as well as being instructed to appear before such tribunals.
Members of Chambers are frequently engaged in high profile appellate and public inquiry work. Examples include:
- The Post Office Appeals and inquiry
- The Grenfell Inquiry
- The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
- The Brock House Inquiry.
- The UK Covid -19 Inquiry.
2BR’s experienced clerking team is known for the high quality service delivered to both professional and lay clients.
Structure of Pupillage
2BR offers three 12 month pupillages per annum.
Upon completion of 12 months pupillage, Chambers practice is to invite some, or all, pupils to complete a further six months training prior to consideration of any tenancy applications. In exceptional circumstances a tenancy application will be considered after completion of 12 months pupillage.
Pupils at 2BR have the opportunity to work on high profile cases with some of the leading Criminal practitioners in the country. Pupils spend their first six in the company of their pupil supervisor; usually attending Court every day. They will also assist other members of Chambers so that they are exposed to as many different areas of Chambers’ expertise as possible.
During their 12 months ‘on their feet’, pupils appear on a daily basis in the Magistrates’, Crown and Youth Courts in a wide variety of criminal matters. They will continue to have a supervisor who is always available should advice be needed.
Throughout pupillage, pupils will be given the opportunity to attend external training events as well as attending regular, bespoke advocacy training sessions provided by Chambers.
We aim to recruit tenants from our own pool of pupils. Since requiring most pupils to complete 18 months of training, over 80% of pupils have successfully achieved tenancy in Chambers. Those who have not been successful have almost invariably found a tenancy in good chambers elsewhere.
Chambers looks to recruit pupils who display the following qualities:
- Commitment to criminal law
- Sound academic background
- Persuasiveness in both written and oral argument
- Passion and flair for advocacy
In selecting our pupils, 2BR has a two-stage interviewing process. The first-round interview is a 10 – 15 minute informal interview conducted by a small panel of tenants. This interview aims to get to know you better and questions are generally based on your application form plus a timed exercise.
If invited for a second round interview, the candidate will be given an advocacy exercise to perform, such as a plea in mitigation. This will be followed by a more rigorous and demanding 15-20 minute interview, conducted by a larger panel of tenants.
Due to the high numbers of applications received, we are only able to provide feedback to those invited for a second round interview.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
2BR Barristers Chambers’ Equality and Diversity policy commits Chambers to:
- The practical application and promotion of principles of equal opportunity and diversity, and
- The communication of that commitment and those principles to Chambers’ members, employees, other workers, service users and the public at large.
Chambers aims to be an inclusive organisation in which everyone is treated with dignity and respect and where there is equal opportunity for all. Each member of Chambers, whether tenant, pupil, staff member etc. has responsibility for complying with this policy.
Chambers recognises that in society groups of individuals can be disadvantaged on grounds of age, disability, gender re-assignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex and/or sexual orientation. Chambers further recognises that there can be discrimination both in the criminal justice system and the legal establishment.
Chambers’ view is that in any modern and progressive society its justice system should reflect the richness of its social, gender-based, racial, cultural and other diversity of the society it serves.
Principles of non-discrimination and equality of opportunity apply within Chambers to all staff (including former staff), members, applicants, visitors, clients and suppliers.
Avoiding discrimination is a key objective of Chambers and reflects its core values. Promoting diversity is consistent with meritocracy and will ensure a wider pool of talent on which Chambers can draw and enhance the service provided to clients.
Equality legislation, principally the Equality Act 2010, is designed to promote fairness including in relation to employment, promotion and the provision of services.
In accordance with the protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010 Chambers will avoid discrimination on the grounds of:
- Age
- Disability
- Gender re-assignment
- Marital or civil partnership status
- Pregnancy or maternity
- Race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins
- Religion or belief
- Sex, and/or
- Sexual orientation.
For our full Equality and Diversity policy, please click here
How to Apply
Aspiring barristers are invited to apply to chambers between 3 January 2024 and 7 February 2024 using the Pupillage Gateway application system to search for the relevant Pupillage Vacancy and selecting ‘Apply for this pupillage’.
In addition to the standardised Bar Council questionnaire, candidates will be asked to respond to the following questions from Chambers:
Candidates will be asked to respond to the following questions from Chambers:
1. Why do you believe you will make a good barrister? (Min 50, Max 200 words)
2. Why do you want to join our Chambers? (Min 50, Max 200 words)
3. What can you tell us to demonstrate a commitment to a career predominantly at the criminal bar? (Min 50, Max 200 words)
4. What advocacy experience have you had (does not need to be legal/formal advocacy).(Min 50, Max 200 words)
5. Please give an example where you have had to overcome significant adversity in your life? (Min 50, Max 200 words)
6.Please provide an example which demonstrates your analytical and legal skills.(Min 50, Max 200 words)
7.What challenges face the Bar in the future and how will you deal with them? (Min 50, Max 200 words)
2. Why do you want to join our Chambers? (Min 50, Max 200 words)
3. What can you tell us to demonstrate a commitment to a career predominantly at the criminal bar? (Min 50, Max 200 words)
4. What advocacy experience have you had (does not need to be legal/formal advocacy).(Min 50, Max 200 words)
5. Please give an example where you have had to overcome significant adversity in your life? (Min 50, Max 200 words)
6.Please provide an example which demonstrates your analytical and legal skills.(Min 50, Max 200 words)
7.What challenges face the Bar in the future and how will you deal with them? (Min 50, Max 200 words)
Attached documents
