Pupillage Vacancy Information
About Authorised Education and Training Organisation
Chambers will be offering a 12-month criminal law pupillage starting in October 2025. The award on offer is a minimum of £22,019 made up of monthly fixed payments in the first six months, followed by guaranteed earnings.
Westgate Chambers is proud of its pupillage programme and is well known for being collegiate, supportive and nurturing towards members and pupils. An Education Programme is provided at the commencement of pupillage, which explains the exercises (both written and oral) that pupils will undertake to develop and improve those skills needed to thrive at the Bar. Criminal pupils can expect to receive training in both prosecution and defence in the Magistrates' and Crown Courts.
Once on their feet, pupils will be kept busy with Chambers’ diverse and growing practice and can expect to be in court regularly with a wide variety of work. The vast majority of our previous pupils have earned in excess of the minimum guaranteed earnings threshold. During their first six months, pupils will be reimbursed for occasional travel outside of the South East and London Circuits. Chambers also will cover the cost of any mandatory training undertaken during pupillage.
Chambers takes seriously its commitment to only offer pupillages with a genuine view to tenancy.
Applications are welcomed from dynamic individuals with a passion for advocacy and the law. We are looking for outstanding candidates who are able to combine legal acumen, good judgment and persuasive advocacy.
Structure of Pupillage
The pupillage is divided into 3 periods of 4 months supervision. For each period, you will be allocated a supervisor but will also assist other members of chambers where necessary. This allows pupils an opportunity to meet numerous members of chambers and broaden their training on a case by case basis. This structure ensures that pupils have a rounded training and are exposed to the full breadth of Chambers’ practice and experiences of the Bar.
Throughout pupillage there will be a curriculum of mock advocacy exercises, written legal research and drafting exercises. Pupils will also benefit from attending Chambers' regular seminars that provide topical lectures and regular case law updates.
Equality Diversity and Inclusion
Chambers follow and practice the Bar Council Equality Code. We are committed to creating an unprejudiced environment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, religion or political persuasion. This is enforced across all aspects of Chambers business and a copy of the Equality and diversity policy can be found on our website.
Chambers is committed to making reasonable adjustments in order to remove or reduce substantial disadvantage as required for people working with Chambers or receiving legal services. Any person requiring reasonable adjustments should contact the Senior Clerk, Sean Gould.
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 are you applying for a pupillage with Westgate Chambers?
2. Why are you applying for a specialised criminal pupillage?
3. What do you consider to be the top three skills required of a barrister, and why?
4. What do you consider to be the most significant impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the court system?
5. What are you likely to find the most difficult aspect of pupillage, and how do you foresee overcoming this?
6. Provide an example of an occasion when you have had to persuade others to accept or adopt a different point of view?
2. Why are you applying for a specialised criminal pupillage?
3. What do you consider to be the top three skills required of a barrister, and why?
4. What do you consider to be the most significant impact of the COVID 19 pandemic on the court system?
5. What are you likely to find the most difficult aspect of pupillage, and how do you foresee overcoming this?
6. Provide an example of an occasion when you have had to persuade others to accept or adopt a different point of view?
Maximum word count for each question is no more than 250.
