Vacancies

Brick Court Chambers – 12 Months – September 2024

Equality Diversity and Inclusion

Brick Court Chambers is a committed advocate of equality and diversity at the Bar. It is our unequivocal policy to treat everyone equally and fairly regardless of their age, disability, gender reassignment, identity or expression, marital or civil partnership status, political persuasion, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality or ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or gender, sexual orientation or social background.

Some of our initiatives and the projects we are proud to support include the Sutton Trust, IntoUniversity, Black Talent Charter and FreeBar.

In addition to these, Brick Court Chambers was one of the six founding commercial sets which jointly created a mentoring scheme to support and encourage individuals from all underrepresented groups to pursue a career as a barrister. This scheme has now been extended and is currently administered by ComBar..

If you would like to learn more about any of our work on equality and diversity, please contact our Equality and Diversity Officer, Sarah Lee KC (sarah.lee@brickcourt.co.uk).

For questions about accessibility, please contact Lyana Peniston, Pupillage Manager (lyana.peniston@brickcourt.co.uk).

How to Apply

Aspiring barristers (having applied for an assessed mini-pupillage by the deadline of 15 January 2023  at https://www.brickcourt.co.uk/pupillage-and-mini-pupillage/mini-pupillage) are invited to apply to chambers between Wednesday 4 January 2023 and Wednesday 8 February 2023 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:

1. Please provide an example of when you have had to analyse complex information to reach a conclusion or decision. In your answer, please identify any experience which is relevant to the answering of this question. (500 character limit)
2. If there is anything else that you would like to tell us about your application, or if there are any mitigating/extenuating circumstances, please tell us here.  We are committed to recruiting the best possible pupils from all backgrounds and groups across society, including those which are traditionally underrepresented at the Bar. Please provide details of any extenuating/mitigating circumstances relevant to your application.  If this section is not relevant to you, then simply respond with the word "None". (300 character limit)

About AETO and Structure of Pupillage

Pupillage at Brick Court Chambers is more than just the final step in qualification as a barrister. It is an opportunity to work with some of the leading practitioners at the English Bar, and on some of the most important and interesting cases of the day in the fields of commercial, competition, international/EU and public law.  The breadth of work within Chambers is often a reason for pupils coming to Brick Court Chambers.

We recognise that our continued success depends upon our recruiting people of the highest calibre. For that reason, there is no Brick Court “type”. Provided that you have the ability and the determination to succeed as a barrister at the highest level, you will be welcome whatever your background.

The challenging nature of the work at Brick Court Chambers demands a high level of intellectual ability and a willingness to work hard. Not surprisingly, those who undertake pupillage with us have very strong academic backgrounds, although not necessarily in law. We are also looking for strong analytical ability and advocacy and communication skills, together with evidence of the resilience, determination and self-motivation which is needed to succeed at the bar.

Each 12-month pupil is generally assigned to three different pupil supervisors during the year. All pupils are also assigned a senior mentor (KC) and a mentor (a junior tenant) at the outset of their pupillage from whom they can seek advice throughout the pupillage year. 

As well as being an important period of training, pupillage is inevitably also a period of assessment and we strive very hard to ensure that our assessment process is rigorously fair and objective. To that end, the Tenancy Committee seeks to collect as much information on each of our pupils from as wide a range of members of Chambers as possible against the assessment criteria.

Each pupil supervisor provides a detailed report on all of a pupil’s work during the time the pupil is sitting with them, and every other member of Chambers for whom pupils complete a piece of work provides a report on that particular piece (as well as providing detailed feedback to the pupil in person).

The Tenancy Committee arranges a number of advocacy exercises (typically 6-7) throughout the year, involving the making or defending of applications of the kind that junior tenants might expect to encounter in their first few years of practice, such as applications for summary judgment or security for costs. The first two exercises are not assessed, to enable pupils to ‘find their feet’ as advocates and to receive feedback from the panel.  After that, the exercises are assessed, although the training element remains very important.

In addition to the advocacy exercises and their work for their pupil supervisors and other members of Chambers, all pupils complete the same six pieces of standardised assessed work. These are set by six different members of Chambers and span the various specialisms within Chambers. All standardised work is assessed ‘blind’ by the member of Chambers who set it and, again, detailed feedback is then given to the pupils.

Pupillage is inevitably demanding but we do our best to make it as enjoyable and interesting an experience as possible. It is made clear to all pupils that it is quality and not quantity of work that counts. Pupils are not in general expected to work late into the evenings or during weekends, although the nature of practice is such that there will be periods when longer hours are necessary.

Pupils are welcomed into the social life of Chambers. Shortly after pupillage offers are made, those who accept are invited to meet members of Chambers. During pupillage, pupils will often have lunch with their pupil supervisors and other members of Chambers, and are welcome at Chambers' social events. There is usually a dinner or other gathering for pupils and junior tenants every term.

Above all, though, we believe that it is the high quality of work and training at Brick Court Chambers that contributes most to our pupils' satisfaction. As one pupil said to an interviewer from Chambers & Partners, "it was the easiest money I've ever earned because every day was just so interesting."

Any Other Relevant Information