Vacancies

Six Pump Court - 12 Months - October 2024

Equality Diversity and Inclusion

At Six Pump Court, we are committed to promoting and achieving equality and diversity in all areas. We want to receive applications from anyone who has the qualities and skills we are looking for, no matter what university or school they have attended, no matter what age, race, gender, or sexual orientation. Our pupillage application process is “blind” to ensure fairness.

We also believe that the Bar needs to make better progress in encouraging people from diverse backgrounds to enter the profession. Members of Chambers accept this as a responsibility we can all commit to. In recognising this, we have taken the following steps:

• Regularly monitoring diversity data. In accordance with the Bar Standards Board Handbook, we collect and publish the results of our diversity data monitoring exercises.
• We have adopted an Anti-Racism statement.
• We set up a Steering Group to consider under-representation in recruitment and through career progression.
• Members of chambers have visited state schools with high ethnic diversity to give career talks to students who may be interested in a career at the Bar.
• We have run open days in Chambers to give students the opportunity to meet members of Chambers and take part in a mock-trial.
• We maintain a wellbeing and assistance programme for all members and staff which provides independent support if ever needed.

More information can be found on our website under Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

The acting Accessibility Officers are Lee Bennett and Grace Cullen. Applicants may contact them on 0207 787 8400.

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. Why do you want to join Six Pump Court? In your answer, please give reasons for your choice of chambers and explain why you are interested in our areas of practice (1,250 Character Limit)
2. 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 (1,250 Character Limit)
3. In your own words, please explain why you are interested in pursuing a broad range of work, including criminal work, in the early stages of your practice. (1,250 Character Limit)

About AETO and Structure of Pupillage

Six Pump Court is committed to providing our pupils with professional training of the highest quality over a wide range of our key practice areas. We aim to provide an interesting and challenging experience in a friendly and supportive environment. The object of pupillage at Six Pump Court is to encourage pupils to develop their individual abilities and talents, whilst equipping them with the skills needed to ensure a successful career at the Bar.

We expect our pupils to be genuinely interested in a number of our key practice areas and committed to developing a broad practice at the Bar.

Six Pump Court has a very strong tradition of recruiting tenants from pupillage and we recognise that our future success depends upon maintaining the highest standards in the selection and training of our pupils.

Our twelve-months pupils spend approximately four months with each of three different pupil supervisors. We encourage our pupils to undertake work for all members of Chambers and we provide the opportunity for pupils to experience work undertaken by members over a range of seniority. Wherever possible, we will attempt to accommodate the interests of our pupils without compromising the overarching aim of providing a broad and varied professional training.

Six Pump Court recognises the importance of periodic appraisal and regular feedback. Pupil supervisors provide regular informal appraisals of the progress of the pupils they supervise and undertake formal assessments at the end of each period of supervision. We encourage our pupils to participate in the assessment process through self-appraisal. We also conduct advocacy and skills training sessions during which pupils can practice their advocacy in front of Members of Chambers who will provide feedback.

During their first six months, our pupils work closely with their pupil supervisor, observing their supervisor undertaking advocacy work and advising clients in conference. Non-practising pupils can also expect to undertake regular legal research and written work, providing ample opportunity to develop practical, analytical, advisory and written communication skills. The type of paperwork will vary depending upon the area of practice and will include writing opinions, drafting statements of case and skeleton arguments.

In their second six months, our pupils should expect to be in court very regularly. Criminal work will involve all types of Magistrates' courts hearings, from first appearances to trials, together with opportunities to undertake mentions, appeals and sentencing hearings in the Crown Court. Civil work is likely to include small claims hearings, interim applications and other court and tribunal hearings.

Chambers' policy for tenancy recruitment is based on merit alone and we do not operate a quota system for the recruitment of tenants from pupillage.

We recognise that meritorious candidates are likely to generate work for themselves and, in due course, for Chambers as a whole. The requisite intellectual and practical ability, together with demonstrated advocacy skills are the most important criteria but the ability to form and maintain professional relationships is also a crucial factor in any tenancy decision.

Any Other Relevant Information

We apply the following selection criteria when selecting candidates for pupillage:

• Proven intellectual ability (we will normally expect at least an upper second class honours law degree or equivalent);
• Interests and achievements going beyond the academic subjects studied;
• An ability to express ideas clearly and persuasively, both in writing and orally;
• A commitment to becoming a barrister and ability to pursue a career at the Bar;
• An interest in more than one of the areas of law within our key practice areas;
• A capacity to understand and to show understanding of the needs and problems of those for whom and with whom they work;
• Good interpersonal skills, including an ability to form and maintain professional relationships with colleagues within chambers and others over time; this will also include a consideration of an applicant’s temperament.