Pupillage Vacancy Information
About Authorised Education and Training Organisation
Thomas More Chambers is a leading common law set, now inviting applications for one twelve-month pupillage commencing in October 2026.
Chambers has "astonishingly bright" and "formidable specialist advocates". Chief clerk Stuart Sellen "runs a tight ship and is entirely client-focused". He oversees an "excellent clerking team, offering a top notch service’" that is described by solicitors as "reliable, pleasant, polite, and accommodating". (Legal 500 2020)
The set boasts over 50 tenants and door tenants, who practise in a wide range of areas, including crime, personal injury, family, employment, commercial and property law. Diversity is one of our strengths. For their first 3 years of practice, our junior tenants can expect to receive instructions in crime, family and civil work. This means they can take an informed decision as to what areas of law they find fulfilling whilst learning many transferable skills. After this, some established members have chosen to specialise in one or more areas whilst others continue working in a variety of different fields throughout their careers.
We adopt a proactive approach to pupillage and our aim is to recruit only those we consider to be potential future tenants. We are looking for an intelligent, independent, and committed pupil who is interested in our main areas of practice. We have a comprehensive and transparent pupillage policy.
Structure of Pupillage
We are offering one twelve-month pupillage, commencing in October 2026, funded by way of an award of £25,000 during the non-practising period and a minimum income guarantee of £15,000 during the practising period.
Pupils can expect to see a comprehensive cross-section of work with different pupil supervisors. Pupils can expect to be in court on a daily basis during the practising period.
Financial and Other Support Available
£5,000 of our pupillage award will be available to draw down whilst the pupil is completing the vocational component of their training. In addition, we will pay for travel expenses incurred during pupillage (excluding travel from home to Chambers) and for the cost (including travel) of all compulsory courses assessments or examinations undertaken during the course of the twelve-month pupillage. Further details about the funding of pupillage are set out in the Thomas More Chambers Pupillage Handbook.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Thomas More Chambers has a firm commitment to equal opportunities and encourages applications from suitably qualified individuals from all sections of society regardless of gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, religion, belief or age. We are committed to making reasonable adjustments to remove the barriers faced by disabled people.
Thomas More Chambers is committed to being an anti-racist organisation. We have conducted a race equality audit within Chambers and will use the results from this audit to create measures to address race inequality within Chambers. All staff and members have completed up to date Bar Standards Board approved anti-racism training.
We have produced anti-racist policies and are committed to fostering a culture of anti-racism in Chambers. We acknowledge the difference between conscious and unconscious bias and are striving for a culture in which all bias is eradicated.
Thomas More Chambers maintains up to date policies in Equality and Diversity, Dignity at Work and Inclusive Working Environment and Reasonable Adjustments.
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:
1.Why do you believe you will make a good barrister? (max. 1200 characters)
2. Why do you want to join our chambers? (max. 1200 characters)
3. Please describe an occasion when you have used your advocacy skills to good effect? (max. 1200 characters)
