Pupillage Vacancy Information
About Authorised Education and Training Organisation
The Family Team at Deans Court is delighted to announce that we are seeking to recruit a family pupil, to commence pupillage in September 2026.
All candidates must have a genuine interest in family law and must demonstrate a commitment to practicing at the Family Bar. It is anticipated that one candidate will specialise in public law/ care work and the other in private children’s law and financial remedy work, however, both candidates will be expected to develop their practice in all aspects of family work.
Deans Court Chambers Overview
Founded in Mosley Street, Manchester, more than 100 years, Deans Court Chambers meld tradition and quality with a modern, innovative and forward-thinking approach to providing specialist advocacy, advisory and drafting expertise across a wide spectrum of practice areas at every level of seniority.
With over a hundred barristers, including 12 King’s Counsel, and premises at 24 St. John Street, Manchester, and 101 Walker Street, Preston, Deans Court Chambers stand out as one of the leading barristers' chambers in the country and are regularly ranked by all major Legal Directories as one of the top sets on the Northern Circuit.
Voted ‘Regional Set of the Year’ at the Chambers Bar Awards in 2013 & 2020 and 'Barristers Chambers of the Year’ at the 2013, 2014, 2017, 2018 & 2021 Manchester Legal Awards, our reputation for professionalism and approachability is underpinned throughout by a rigorous quality policy. Undertaking work in the majority of practice areas including Crime, Family, Personal Injury, Health and Safety/Regulatory work, we aim to provide the highest standards of service and to anticipate and respond to our clients’ needs. We consistently maintain a reputation for the highest standards of service throughout the North West and nationally.
Individual members regularly appear in the Legal Directories and recent years have seen several appointments to the ranks of King’s Counsel, the Circuit Bench and beyond.
Former members of Chambers include Lord Justice Ryder (former Presiding Judge of the Northern Circuit), Mr Justice Turner (former Presiding Judge of the Northern Circuit) and His Honour Judge Stockdale KC, (former Recorder of Manchester).
"An excellent Chambers which always goes the extra mile. The client service is always first class” – Chambers & Partners
"Go to set in Manchester” – Legal 500
Deans Court Chambers operates an Equality and Diversity Policy and is committed to fair recruitment based on merit.
Family Team Overview
Deans Court has established an exceptional team of leading and junior counsel undertaking challenging and complex family work. Our quality and experience means we are regarded as one of the leading sets outside London in this area.
In the field of child protection, our Barristers are involved in the most serious child care cases involving the death of, or grave injury to, children.
We frequently deal with cases involving complex medical issues including cases of serious head injury caused to babies and fabricated or induced illnesses in children, and are experienced in cases of serious sexual abuse and extreme chronic neglect.
A number of Counsel have experience in judicial review and regulatory work within the area of looked-after children and care standards.
The family team offers expertise in difficult private law proceedings involving disputes about child arrangements following divorce and separation.
We regularly deal with cases involving parents who pose a risk of physical, sexual or emotional harm to their children where a finding of fact hearing may be necessary. We provide expert advice and representation in cases where there is domestic abuse and in cases where one parent is implacably hostile to contact.
We often appear in cases involving the international movement of children (application for removal from the jurisdiction; Hague Convention and child abduction cases)
We also provide advice and representation in surrogacy cases.
Deans Court Chambers offers a formidable array of talent in dealing with the financial consequences of relationship breakdown. We provide advice and representation across the range of financial and property disputes which can occur with the social and financial complexities of modern family life.
Chambers stands out in the field of financial remedies on divorce and civil partnership dissolution for the experience and skill of its practitioners in dealing with disputes arising from relationship breakdown with substantial assets, family businesses, pensions, share options, corporate and other trust structures of both a domestic and international nature. Our members are regularly instructed in cases involving parties of high net worth.
Our practitioners regularly appear in financial disputes between cohabitees, principally in relation to the ownership of the family home under the Trusts of Land and Appointment of
Trustees Act 1996 (‘ToLATA’) but also issues arising from joint ownership of other assets.
Structure of Pupillage
Pupillages offered are for a full twelve months. A pupil will have and be supervised by a formally-designated and approved pupil supervisor. We will ensure the pupil spends time with experienced practitioners from different disciplines, including civil, crime and family. Pupils are also allocated a mentor on commencement of their pupillage. The mentor is a Member of Chambers who was not involved in the selection and interview process. We encourage pupils to attend all relevant training and lectures to further their knowledge. During the second six of the pupillage, the pupil should expect to undertake paperwork and court work independently.
Funding
Financial and Other Support Available
Deans Court Chambers provide a financial package of £55,000 for 12 month pupils, comprising a grant of £20,000 for the first six and an earnings guarantee of £35,000 for the second six. In addition, reasonable travel expenses are paid during the first six and compulsory training costs are met by Chambers
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
The aim of Deans Court Chambers is to recruit excellent candidates with the capacity to succeed in any area of practice. Candidates will be recruited and appointed fairly, regardless of race, sex, pregnancy and maternity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership, disability (subject to the physical requirements of practice and any reasonable adjustments that can be made), age, religion or belief and in accordance with the Equality and Diversity Code of the Bar. If you have any concerns or questions in relation to equality and diversity, please contact Alex Jenkinson ajenkinson@deanscourt.co.uk who will direct your query to the appropriate individual on the Equality Committee.
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’.
Candidates will be asked to respond to the following questions from Chambers:
1. Why do you want to be a barrister? (No more than 250 words)
2. Why you are applying to Deans Court Chambers? (No more than 250 words)
3. What do you think are the key qualities to being a successful barrister and tell us about how you exhibit those qualities? (No more than 250 words)
4. Why have you chosen family law as the area you want to practice in? (No more than 250 words)
5. What do you think is the most important issue in family law at the moment and why? (No more than 250 words)
6. Why should we offer you a family pupillage at Deans Court? (No more than 250 words)
