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4-5 Gray’s Inn Square – 12 months – October 2026

Pupillage Vacancy Information

About AETO and Structure of Pupillage
 
Pupils will be appointed a Pupillage Coordinator who will have overall responsibility for the structure and coordination of their pupillage. 

Pupil supervisors will be allocated, in consultation with the Pupillage Coordinator, over the course of the year. We aim to provide every pupil with experience of Chambers’ major areas of work and pupils will spend time with at least three supervisors over the twelve-month period. In their first six months, pupils work with their pupil supervisor(s) (and possibly other members of Chambers). In their second six, they continue to work with their supervisor(s) but will also undertake their own work, including court work. 


Financial and Other Support Available

As well as a pupil supervisor, the individual will have access to the pupil co-ordinator, and members of the Pupillage Committee, and Wellbeing Committee.
 
Equality Diversity and Inclusion

Chambers operates an Equal Opportunities Policy and adheres to the Equality and Diversity Code for the Bar. 

Our pupils are selected from applicants from a broad range of backgrounds and experience, whether recent university graduates or those seeking a second career as a barrister. We are currently recruiting three pupils to start in October 2026. We aim to recruit one pupil specifically for our housing law practice. 

4-5 Gray’s Inn Square has been awarded the Bar Council’s Wellbeing at the Bar Certificate of Recognition. This is a significant indication of how seriously we take the wellbeing of all in Chambers.

Should you require any adjustment to be made please contact the clerks at clerks@4-5.co.uk who will pass on your contact details to the Wellbeing Committee.


How to Apply

Chambers is not a member of the Pupillage Gateway. Applications for a pupillage commencing October 2026 will open at 11:00 on 2nd January 2025 and will close at 23:59 on 6th February 2025. Applications must be made via the application form available at www.4-5.co.uk/join-us/pupillage by emailing it in WORD format to pupillage2025@4-5.co.uk or by sending it by post to our chambers' address and marked “Pupillage Application”.

Any Other Relevant Information

All applications will be assessed by at least two members of chambers. Successful applicants will be invited to a 20 minute first-round interview in March 2025 which will involve questions arising from their application and a brief legal question. Those successful will be invited to a second-round interview in April 2025. They will be expected to discuss a legal problem, which will be provided to them 30 minutes before the interview.

The problem will require some general legal knowledge but not detailed knowledge of chambers’ specialist areas.  References may be called on before or after the second-round interview. Offers for pupillage will be released on Friday 9th May 2025 at 09:30. All applicants will have a 7-day deadline until Friday 16th  May 2025 by 09:30 to communicate acceptance of an offer.  If the acceptance is not received by that time, the offer will be withdrawn and made to the next best candidate.


Selection Criteria 

The following list contains the selection criteria (in no order of importance) against which the applicants will be scrutinised: 

  1. Intellectual Ability 
  2. Writing Skills 
  3. Oral Advocacy Skills 
  4. Resilience 
  5. Potential (as a tenant of 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square Chambers) 
  6. Commitment to the Bar 
  7. Interest in Chambers’ areas of work 
  8. Individual achievements 

Areas of Practice

4-5 Gray’s Inn Square is a leading public and commercial law set, based in London. Our 85 members, of which six are KCs, practise across a wide range of areas, with a particular focus on local government, social housing, planning and property, business, regulatory and disciplinary law. We have a reputation for excellence in our advocacy, advisory and dispute-resolution services. Our barristers are backed up by a first-class clerking and business management team in a supportive and collegiate environment.

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