Pupillage Vacancy Information
About Authorised Education and Training Organisation
9 St John Street Chambers is a leading set of barristers based in Manchester widely renowned for exceptionally high standards of advocacy, advisory and mediation services. Chambers compromises of 10 King's Counsel and 108 Juniors, with depth and strength across all our specialist practice areas.
Structure of Pupillage
The Pupillage and Tenancy Committee
The selection and recruitment of pupils is the responsibility of the Pupillage and Tenancy Committee (the Committee). The Committee consists of no fewer than five and no more than ten members of Chambers. The composition of the Committee is intended to reflect a diverse cross section of Chambers. Chambers will comply with Bar Council guidance in the training of committee members.
Pattern of Pupillage
(a) Each Pupil will be placed with a Principal Pupil Supervisor who will supervise only one pupil at a time. The Principal Pupil Supervisor retains overall responsibility for the Pupil and remains available to offer advice and assistance throughout the pupillage. Before supervising a pupil, Chambers will ensure its pupil supervisors have received appropriate training.
(b) In addition to working with the allocated supervisor, pupils will accompany junior tenants to court and conferences. Pupils may also accompany other members of Chambers to court where a case is particularly interesting or unusual, or it would otherwise be of benefit for a pupil to attend the hearing.
(c) The first period the pupil will work almost exclusively for his or her supervisor. The pupil may also work for other members of Chambers of all levels of seniority. A pupil’s working hours and holidays are arranged with his or her supervisor and will generally be consistent with the Bar Council’s recommendation that pupils should work a minimum of 35 hours per week and have a minimum of 20 days holiday. As a minimum that pupils are entitled to four weeks’ absence from training per annum i.e., 20 days in addition to Bank Holidays. For other absences, see absence policy.
(d) During pupillage Pupils are expected to carry out work for their Pupil Supervisor, any Member of Chambers with whom they are placed for any period and for other Members of Chambers, particularly during the latter stages of pupillage.
(e) Chambers makes every effort to place each individual Pupil with a Pupil Supervisor best able to provide training suited to the individual needs of that Pupil. Chambers will also take into account any expression of interest by a Pupil in particular practice areas when allocating a Principal Pupil Supervisor.
(f) The purpose of Pupils spending time with members other than their Pupil Supervisor is to enhance the training offered and to maximise the breadth of the Pupil’s experience of differing types and methods of work at the Bar. This also ensures that the Pupil’s work is seen and reported upon by a variety of Members of Chambers. Pupils may also accompany the very junior Members of Chambers to Court so that they can gain experience of the type of work they will be expected to perform during their second six months.
(g) Although any Member of Chambers with whom a Pupil is placed will be expected to perform the duties of the Pupil Supervisor, the Principal Pupil Supervisor retains overall responsibility for the Pupil and remains available to offer advice and assistance throughout the pupillage.
(h) Upon commencement of Pupillage, a Pupil is also provided with a ‘Mentor’. A Mentor is a junior member of chambers, who is not from the same practice group as the Pupil or Pupil Supervisor. They are provided as an additional source of help, support and guidance. Pupils can consult with their Mentor in relation to any subject and be assured that all conversations will be strictly confidential unless in exceptional circumstances such as a serious regulatory breach.
The Mentor assigned will abstain from the final vote regarding an offer of tenancy.
Financial and Other Support Available
Financial and Other Support Available
Award and Expenses
Pupils will receive funding from Chambers during the 12 month pupillage as follows:
- In the first six months, a payment of £25,000. Pupils will receive all of this amount by the end of the first six months. However, Pupils, are offered a choice in respect of how it is drawn down.
- In the second six months, guaranteed earnings of £25,000.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Nine St John Street wants to ensure everyone is able to thrive on pupillage. To this end we have a range of E&D initiatives and support in place:
- As well as your pupil supervisor you will have a mentor from another practice area who will act as a confidential source of support.
- We also have two Equality and Diversity officers who are trained to deal with Equality and Diversity issues confidentially.
- We have a wider Equality and Diversity team who work on chambers initiatives. Several of these members have roles regionally/nationally in E&D such as representatives on the Northern Circuit E&D committee, the Northern Circuit Race Working Group and the Bar Council Disability Panel.
- We have a range of policies in place for your protection.
- We offer a confidential counselling service which has a 24 hour helpline and the opportunity for private therapy sessions.
- We are very happy to and experienced in dealing with reasonable adjustments requests.
- Our Accessibility Officer is Amy Smith who is a very experienced and well respected employment practitioner and a fee paid judge in the Employment tribunal. Please approach her for confidential advice on reasonable adjustments to the pupillage application process/within chambers generally amy.smith@9sjs.com.
- Our Wellbeing Champion for Pupils is Jane Slingsby. She has a wealth of knowledge about Chambers and the Circuit, and can also provide support from the clerking point of view. She is a warm and open person, with whom you can feel comfortable talking.
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 think you will make a good Barrister? (200 words)
2.Why do you want to join our chambers? In your answer, please give reasons for your choice of chambers and explain why you are interested in our areas of practice. (200 words)
2.Why do you want to join our chambers? In your answer, please give reasons for your choice of chambers and explain why you are interested in our areas of practice. (200 words)
3. Please identify any non-legal experiences / skills gained that you believe may help you in your career. (200 words)
4. Tell us about something you have done or achieved which you are proud of and why? (200 words)
5. Chambers intends to recruit into the areas of business and property, crime, employment, and personal injury. Please set out your preference of practice area. (200 words)
6.Please add anything further you would like us to take into consideration with reference to the marking scheme criteria set out in our policy which can be found on our website (200 words)
