Pupillage Vacancy Information
About Authorised Education and Training Organisation
Monckton Chambers specialises in public and commercial law and the interface between the two. We are recognised as a leading set within our specialisms, which include: competition; commercial; public law and human rights; sports; tax; technology, media and communications; trade and EU relations law. Our work is in areas of the law that are rapidly growing and fast moving. It is exceptionally demanding, but also highly rewarding.
Structure of Pupillage
We are looking for candidates of the highest intellectual calibre. Successful candidates will have an exceptional record of academic achievement and most have a First-Class Honours degree (although it need not be in law).
We do not, however, expect candidates to have any experience or expertise in the specialised areas in which we practice. Instead, we expect merely an interest and enthusiasm for the work that we do. We welcome applications from candidates who have degrees in subjects other than law and are taking (or have taken) the GDL.
It is not only intellectual skills that we are looking for: we are seeking candidates with the personal skills to win the trust of clients and judges alike. Monckton Chambers is a dynamic place to work. Members actively engage in speaking at conferences and seminars, in London and internationally, and in contributing to a variety of publications, ranging from our own marketing materials to specialist journals and practitioner texts. We are looking for junior tenants who will bring real energy to Chambers.
Members of chambers come to us through a variety of routes – for example, some members have had previous careers at NGOs, as solicitors, academics, or civil servants.
Financial and Other Support Available
We are offering two pupillages of 12 months, each with an award of £75,000 of which up to £20,000 is available as a draw-down in the BPTC year.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Monckton Chambers is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive working environment. We invite applications from excellent candidates from all backgrounds. We seek to increase further the diversity of Chambers and particularly welcome applications from members of groups which are under-represented at the Bar. We anonymise applications when assessing candidates’ forms.
The Pupillage Gateway employs the Rare Contextual Recruitment System (CSR) when processing applications. The CRS allows us to understand each applicant’s achievements in the context in which they have been gained. We seek to recruit the best people from every background, regardless of their personal circumstances, and the CRS helps us to do that. The CRS is only ever used to screen people in, not out and under no circumstances are candidates ever marked down for supplying this information.
For more information please read our Equality & Diversity and Social Responsibility page.
How to Apply
Aspiring barristers are invited to apply to chambers between Thursday 2 January 2025 and Thursday 6 February 2025 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:
- Why do you believe you will make a good barrister? In your answer, please identify any relevant experiences or skills that you believe may help you in your career. (1,500 Character Limit).
- What area of law are you most interested in and why? (1,500 Character Limit).
- Why do you want to join our Chambers? (1,500 Character Limit).
- Why do you think you will make a good oral advocate? What experiences do you have of oral advocacy (this could be mooting competitions, pro bono advocacy, public speaking, or any occasion when you have used skills of oral argument and persuasion to achieve a result). If applicable, please note how you ranked in any relevant competitions. (1,500 Character Limit).
- What are your marks for each paper in your university examinations (for each year for which this is known)? What is your final overall ranking in your year at university and what was the size of your year group (if known). (1,500 Character Limit).
- Does English public law strike the right balance between executive and judicial power? Give reasons for your answer? (1,500 Character Limit).
- When will you be qualified and available to start pupillage? This will be Autumn 2026 for most applicants, but some may be able to start in Autumn 2025 having already completed their professional qualifications. If you could start in either 2025 or 2026, what would be your preference?
Any Other Relevant Information
We are able to interview only a limited proportion of applicants. Our interview process is in two stages. The first interview is shorter and less formal. We seek to identify candidates with the skills and potential to be an outstanding barrister within our fields of expertise. We do not test specific legal knowledge.
We offer a second interview to a narrowed shortlist of candidates. The second interview is based on a legal problem that the candidate is given to consider immediately before the interview. Again, the problem is intended to test the candidate’s critical reasoning skills, rather than his or her knowledge of any particular area of law.
Candidates invited for a second interview are offered the opportunity of spending a few days with us on a mini pupillage to learn more about what we do and to experience the atmosphere in Chambers.
Monckton Chambers recruits pupils selectively in the expectation of being able to offer all pupils tenancy, should they meet the required standard (an overwhelming majority of pupils have been offered tenancy over the last 10 years). We are maintaining this approach notwithstanding that we have recently increased the number of pupils we take each year from 2 to 3 (a step that has been taken because of the high volume of work available for successful pupils).
For more information, please see the Pupillage Page on our website.
