Vacancies

Gatehouse Chambers - 12 months - October 2024

Equality Diversity and Inclusion

Gatehouse Chambers has a very active Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Committee supported by four taskforces made up of barrister and staff members who share information, devise new strategies and promote initiatives, to ensure that an inclusive atmosphere is created for everyone and to encourage diversity amongst those applying for staff positions, pupillage or tenancy:

• The Race & Religion Equality Taskforce
• The Sex and Gender Equality Taskforce
• The Disability & Neurodiversity Equality Taskforce
• The Social Mobility Taskforce

We acknowledge that it is vital to understand systems of power through intersectionality and the need to consider anything that can result in the marginalisation of a person because of any of their characteristics. Taking an intersectional approach to rights and initiatives helps to recognise the overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage that arise as a result of one or more of, or a combination of, those characteristics. The initiatives mentioned below, whilst divided into sub-headings, are often designed to reduce intersectional discrimination in the legal profession.

In the last few years, amongst a number of other initiatives: We have run 3 “lunch and learn” sessions on racial equality: challenges resulting from racial discrimination, allyship and potential solutions.

A number of members and staff attended anti-racism training spread over two days and delivered by Raggi Kotak of Pump Court.

We recorded and promoted podcast interviews and held a quiz for Black History Month.

We worked with Herbert Smith Freehills on the RBS Legal First Step programme insight day.  RBS Legal First Step is an intensive one-week programme developed to give A Level students of colour and/or from socially disadvantaged backgrounds greater opportunities, experience and contacts to help them consider and pursue a career in law or business;

We signed up as a founder member of ‘Bridging the Bar aimed at attracting people from minority ethnic groups to consider a career at the Bar, and to invite them in for crucial mini pupillage opportunities;

We supported the 10,000 Black Interns initiative;

We have engaged in other mentoring programmes such as the Miranda Brawn Diversity Leadership programme and the @Law-So-White mentoring programme;

Circa 20 members have acted as mentors in the COMBAR mentoring programme which aims to assist persons of all minority and/or disadvantaged groups who are seeking pupillage;

We signed up to the Women in Law Pledge;

We have regularly reviewed and revised our Parental leave Policy and our Transitioning At Work Policy;

We have taken active steps to try and ensure gender balance on all chambers sub-committees;

We collaborated with other chambers to create FreeBar, a network for everyone at the Bar who believes in equality for LGBT+ individuals and their allies; and to create the Freebar Charter;

We have regularly partnered with Herbert Smith Freehills, Clifford Chance, Allen & Overy and Eversheds Sutherland on a range of social mobility-related programmes;

We have supported a wide range of pro bono schemes including Advocate, ELAAS, CLIPS, and FRU.  One of our practice managers (clerks) won the Advocate Pro Bono Chambers’ Professional of the Year award in 2021;and in 2022 we won the Advocate Pro Bono Chambers of the Year award, and one of our members won the Advocate John Collins Pro Bono Excellence Award; We have championed and taken part in events for Neurodiversity in Law.

Our Accessibility Officer is Sarah McCann and can be contacted at  sarah.mccann@gatehouselaw.co.uk  

How to Apply

Aspiring barristers 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. Using 75 words or fewer explain the decision in  Belsner v CAM Legal Services [2022]   EWCA Civ 1387
2. Please identify 3 values which are important to you and explain why. Please limit your answer to 150 words or fewer.
3. Describe a time when you have persuaded someone to come around to your point of view.  This may be in a work or non-work scenario. Please limit your answer to 200 words or fewer.
4. Argue for or against:  there should be a second referendum on Scottish independence. We are interested in how you argue the point, not what your answer is. (250 words)

5. What in your opinion is a significant development of the law in the last 5 years and why? Please limit your answer to 200 words or fewer. 

6. Describe a time when you had to explain a complex concept or situation to someone who was unfamiliar with the topic (200 words)

7. What key skill or attribute (which you have not been able to demonstrate on this form) do you want us to consider in support of your application? (100 words)

About AETO and Structure of Pupillage

Gatehouse Chambers are progressive, forward-thinking and at the cutting edge of innovation in the legal market with members ranked in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 in all our main practice areas. While legal excellence is at the forefront of all that we do, we pride ourselves on our approachability and inclusivity and this philosophy follows through to pupillage.

Over the course of your twelve-month pupillage you will sit with three supervisors and during each seat you will be allocated two ‘wingers’ for whom you will be expected to do work. In addition to this, you will be encouraged to work for as many other members of chambers as you are able to.

Pupils may choose to specialise in any of our practice areas and we will endeavour to accommodate your preferences. However, we do encourage open-mindedness as practice is very different to academic study and you may have an undiscovered budding passion.

You will spend your first six months shadowing your supervisors and working with them on their current cases. This will involve things like drafting opinions and proceedings and attending court and client conferences with them. Towards the end of your first six months the junior members will take you to court with them to observe the sorts of cases you can expect to work on in your second six.

You will also receive extensive advocacy training led by members of chambers who also sit as part time judges and/or are qualified as advocacy tutors for the programs run by the Inns.

During your second six months you can expect to be in court two to three times a week and you may be instructed on paperwork. The majority of the work will be in the county court with occasional matters in the high court. You can expect to work on possession actions, property related injunctions, bankruptcy and winding up petitions and small claims trials. We encourage our pupils to gain as much court experience as they are able to during this period.

During pupillage you will receive regular and detailed feedback not only from your pupil supervisors, but also from those for whom you do work and a member of chambers designated as responsible for the welfare of pupils.

We lead the way in equality and diversity and well-being at the bar. We recognise that pupillage is a challenging time and do all that we can to alleviate the pressure on you. We do not pay lip-service to the notion of ‘work life balance’; we insist upon it. Only in truly exceptional circumstances should you expect to be in chambers before 8.30am or leave after 6pm.

Any Other Relevant Information

We are looking for pupils who can demonstrate the following core skills:

Legal skills:

  First class lawyer and advocate

  Able to analyse and explain complex cases or issues

  Good drafting skills

   Integrity

   Ability to manage workload (speed and case/expectation management) 

 Interpersonal skills:

  A good communicator

  A fit with Gatehouse Chambers values

  Friendly, modern, energetic, team player

  Works well with colleagues, staff, members

Business and Client care skills:

  Ability to relate to clients

  Evidence of ability to retain/attract work

  Good communications with clients

  Understanding the need to work in a team with solicitors and the lay client 

  Ambition and potential to build a successful practice