Please Note: The application deadline for this job has now passed.
Pupillage Vacancy Information
About AETO and Structure of Pupillage
Six Pump Court is committed to providing our pupils with professional training of the highest quality. 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 are advertising specifically for a pupil committed to practising criminal law. Our criminal team typically operate in Maidstone and Canterbury Crown Court, therefore the pupillage will be largely based in Kent. When outside of court, the pupil can expect to be based in our Chambers annexe in Kent, although there will be opportunities to spend time in Chambers in London. Work undertaken in the second six months of pupillage will also predominantly be in Kent.
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.
Over the course of a twelve-month pupillage, our pupils spend approximately four months with each of three different pupil supervisors. In addition to our supervisors, there are a number of designated individuals who will help to supervise the pupil, for example when the supervisor is sitting as a Recorder. We encourage our pupils to undertake work for a range of members of Chambers and we provide the opportunity for pupils to experience work undertaken by members over all seniorities.
Six Pump Court recognises the importance of periodic appraisal and regular feedback. Pupil supervisors provide regular informal feedback as to the progress of the pupils they supervise and undertake formal appraisals at the end of each period of supervision. We encourage our pupils to participate in this process through self-assessment. 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, advising clients in conference, and preparing written submissions. 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 predominantly relate to a criminal practice, but there will be opportunities to undertake written work (assessed and unassessed) for other Members of Chambers.
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.
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.
Pupillage Vacancy Information
£25,000 pupillage award in the first six months.
£15,000 guaranteed earnings in the second six months.
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 3 January 2024 and Wednesday 7 February 2024 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 (the character limits are deliberately low and so candidates will not be criticised for use of bullet-points provided that answers are well structured and grammatically correct):
- Why do you want to join the criminal law team at Six Pump Court? (1,000 Character Limit)
- In your opinion, what are the three most significant benefits of a practice based in Kent, and why? If relevant, please explain what ties you have to the area (500 Character Limit)
- What do you consider to be the biggest challenge that you would face as a junior barrister at the Criminal Bar, and how might that challenge be overcome? (1,000 Character Limit)
- Do you anticipate that your practice in ten years would consist predominantly of prosecution or defence work, or be a balance of the two, and why? (1,000 Character Limit)
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 to pursuing a career at the criminal Bar;
- 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.
