Please Note: The application deadline for this job has now passed.
Pupillage Vacancy Information
Colleton Chambers is located in Exeter and has been serving the communities of the West of England with legal advice and advocacy for 50 years.
We are offering two 12-month pupillages starting in October 2024 with funding of £25,000 each. An initial £5,000 is payable in August to help with relocation, followed by £10,000 grant during the first six and £10,000 guarantee of earnings during the second six.
One pupillage will focus on criminal law, whilst the other pupillage will focus on family law. Each pupil will have one allocated pupil supervisor and spend time with other members of the team during their pupillage.
We are offering two 12-month pupillages starting in October 2024 with funding of £25,000 each. An initial £5,000 is payable in August to help with relocation, followed by £10,000 grant during the first six and £10,000 guarantee of earnings during the second six.
One pupillage will focus on criminal law, whilst the other pupillage will focus on family law. Each pupil will have one allocated pupil supervisor and spend time with other members of the team during their pupillage.
Chambers values advocacy skills and considers it is vital that all pupils secure a solid foundation and opportunity to practice and develop their advocacy skills. Regardless of the area in which the pupil specialises, both pupils will spend two weeks on secondment with the Crown Prosecution Service at the end of their first six. Thereafter, in addition to work in their specialism, both pupils will be expected to accepted instructions from the Crown Prosecution Service in their second six in order to develop their advocacy.
Successful applicants will spend time shadowing members of chambers both senior and junior.
We have a surfeit of work for second six pupils and our junior tenants.
Chambers fosters a friendly collegiate environment and as part of this approach will allocate a “buddy” to both pupils from among the junior tenants.
We only take on pupils when we are clear that there are tenancies available to those who successfully complete their pupillage.
The successful applicants will have a strong academic background and be able to demonstrate aptitudes in both oral and written advocacy.
We have a strong team ethos and will expect our pupils to be team player.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Successful applicants will spend time shadowing members of chambers both senior and junior.
We have a surfeit of work for second six pupils and our junior tenants.
Chambers fosters a friendly collegiate environment and as part of this approach will allocate a “buddy” to both pupils from among the junior tenants.
We only take on pupils when we are clear that there are tenancies available to those who successfully complete their pupillage.
The successful applicants will have a strong academic background and be able to demonstrate aptitudes in both oral and written advocacy.
We have a strong team ethos and will expect our pupils to be team player.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
We carry out all recruitment, promotion and other types of selection procedures, such as redundancy selection processes, on the basis of merit, using non‐discriminatory and, as far as possible, objective criteria.
Nobody applying for a vacancy may be asked about their health, attendance record, or whether they have a disability, before an offer is made ‐ except in very limited situations. It may, for example, be justifiable to ask whether the applicant needs any disability‐ related measures put in place for the interview, or to check that they are capable of carrying out a key part of the position.
It is unlawful to ask applicants anything that might suggest an intention to discriminate on the grounds of a protected characteristic. Asking an applicant about their religion when they are applying for a job that involves weekend working would not, for example, be allowed. Nor would asking an applicant whether they have childcare responsibilities be allowed, as that suggests you might be intending to indirectly discriminate on grounds of sex or marital status.
Please note chambers use an anonymised application system. Should you have any questions regarding accessibility please contact Anita Noerr at anitanoerr@colletonchambers.co.uk or Beth Heaton at bethheaton@colletonchambers.co.uk.
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.
In addition to the standardised Bar Council questionnaire, candidates will be asked to respond to the following questions from Chambers:
- Why do you want to be a Criminal barrister? (150 words)
- What has attracted you to the West Country? (150 words)
- What elements of your education and or experience so far have prepared you for the real life challenges of the Bar? (150 words)
- In an age increasingly described as 'post-truth', why is the Rule of Law important? (150 words)
- Tell us about the most interesting piece of case law you have read. (100 words)
- Give us an example of when you have made a mistake and how you tackled the consequences. (150 words)
- Life isn't all about work, so tell us about your life outside the Bar. (150 words)
