What is a Mini-Pupillage?
A mini-pupillage (MP) is a duration of time spent shadowing a barrister(s) either within chambers, at court, or a combination of both depending on their schedule i.e. if you secure a MP you basically have the opportunity to follow a barrister around!
The duration of your MP will vary depending on the chambers you are undertaking your MP with, but they typically last between three and five days.
How do I apply for a Mini-Pupillage?
The application process will vary by chambers. If you’re not sure what is meant by ‘chambers’ it is basically where a barrister works i.e. where their office is located and who they work on behalf of; so just like a solicitor works within a law firm, a barrister works within chambers.
Some chambers require a cover letter and a CV, whilst others have their own application form. From personal experience, an application form for a MP will essentially ask you about your grades, previous work experience (legal and non-legal), and why you’re applying to that particular chambers – so essentially what a CV and cover letter would typically consist of but just in a different format.
An interview isn’t normally part of the process of securing a MP, at least it wasn’t for me. I have been lucky enough to undertake three MPs and each time I either applied via chambers’ application form, or by CV and cover letter.
In order to be eligible to apply for a MP, you typically need to be in the second year of your undergraduate degree although, again, this will vary. I would recommend researching chambers within your area and looking at their requirements/application process. If there is anything that you’re not clear on then don’t hesitate to drop them an email; there is normally a particular person within chambers who deals with applications for MPs and their email should be accessible on chambers’ website.
Are Mini-Pupillages Assessed?
Some MPs are ‘assessed’ and what this essentially means is that throughout your time spent with chambers your performance will be ‘judged’ by the barrister(s) that you shadow i.e. could they view you as a potential barrister, do you possess the right qualities etc? This information would then come in handy if you were to apply to that chambers at some point in the future for pupillage – basically you need to make a good impression! An assessed MP may also consist of a test in relation to what you have learnt during your MP.
Regardless of whether your MP is assessed or not, it is always important to create a positive and lasting impression in case you do decide to apply to that particular chambers at some point in the future for pupillage.
How Many Mini-Pupillages Should I Do?
The answer to this question totally depends on your personal circumstances/context. Nowhere does it say ‘In order for an individual to be a good candidate, they must have done x number of MPs.’ However, if you are even considering a career at the Bar then it is certainly worth having at least one MP under your belt – experience (in my opinion) is the only way to truly know if a career at the Bar is right for you.
An important point to note is that you don’t actually want to do too many MPs i.e. do not do MPs just for the sake of it. When I visited The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, I had a chat with a lady who worked in the admissions department. I remember asking her how many MPs I should do. She told me that there is no set number but it is important not to do too many. She informed me that it is better to do three MPs for example and be able to demonstrate that you have gained invaluable experience, as opposed to doing say 10 MPs and not really getting much out of them; what you have learnt from MPs is much more important than how many you’ve done.
However, if for example you have done three MPs and two of them weren’t really great then of course do a couple more and when an employer asks, then just explain why you have done x amount.
How Do I Ace My Mini-Pupillage Application?
There are going to be a lot of students applying for MPs so it is important to make your application stand out.
Below are just a few things that I did that I believe helped me to secure my MPs:
- You need to demonstrate to chambers that you are hard-working and deserving of a MP. I feel like one obvious way to demonstrate this is through good grades; if you got a good grade in an exam, use this in your application! For example, in one application I mentioned that I was awarded a 1st in an oral advocacy exam in relation to criminal law. I then went on to explain a little bit about why I was interested in criminal law. Furthermore, upon researching some of the barristers within the chambers I was applying to, I noticed that some of the barristers had recently worked on some really interesting criminal law cases and I then tied this all in to my application.
I believe that by highlighting an achievement and linking this to qualities that chambers are looking for, or to one of their practice areas, is a simple yet effective way to make your application far more personal and impressive i.e. it illustrates that you have taken the time to do your research and you’re not just using the same cover letter/answers for every MP application.
2. You will need to demonstrate in your application that you have the qualities and skills needed to be a barrister. One way to show this is through extra-curricular activities and hobbies e.g. if you are part of a committee at university you can use this to show that you possess organisation and communication skills, if you have taken part in mooting (and succeeded to some degree) then this will demonstrate good advocacy skills.
You can even use your hobbies to your advantage. For example, to become a barrister and to do a good job, you need to be committed to your career. One way to demonstrate commitment is through a hobby e.g. if you exercise x times a week then say this because it shows you are committed to keeping fit! Think outside the box and how you can use your experiences to demonstrate that you possess the required qualities.
3. Finally, spend time on your application and ensure it is tailored to each chamber you are applying to i.e. do some research regarding the values upon which chambers operate, any recent successes/news, the culture, business plans etc – link everything in and make your application specific to that chamber.
If your answer to ‘why are you applying to x chambers’ could be copied and pasted and used in another application for a different chambers, then you’re probably being too vague. Really spend time thinking about what makes chambers different and why you want to undertake a MP with them.
What Should I Expect From a Mini-Pupillage?
In all honesty, some MPs will be super beneficial and you will gain invaluable experience. On the other hand, some MPs may not be quite as rewarding.
I would say that out of the three MPs I did, two of them were great! During these MPs I observed meetings between barristers and their clients, attended court for a variety of hearings, read and analysed legal documents, constructed my own legal arguments and observed the day to day roles of the clerks in order to understand how chambers operate.
However, my other MP was not as beneficial. When I arrived at chambers it felt like they weren’t expecting me, I was waiting around for what felt like hours not really doing much, and generally there wasn’t much on for me to observe. Of course some days there may not be as much on, but do just bear in mind that sometimes a MP may not be as beneficial as you first thought and it would therefore be a good idea to do as many as you need until you have ascertained if a career at the Bar is right for you, and you’ve gained a good range of experience that you will be able to utilise during interviews and later on in life.
How Do I Make a Good Impression?
As mentioned previously, it is always important to give a good impression. It is also important to network and obtain connections with barristers e.g. so that you could contact them at a later date for advice on an application or so that when you come to apply for pupillage they know who you are, that you are capable and deserving of pupillage. I always do as much as I can to make a good, lasting impression; one of the barristers that I shadowed even offered to write me a reference if I ever needed one!
The below may seem obvious but they’re just a few things to remember:
- Be polite, be punctual and smile!
- Ask questions and get involved when appropriate i.e. not during a client meeting but you could always discuss the content of the meeting, or any questions that you have, with the barrister after the meeting has concluded if the barrister is happy to do so; this will demonstrate that you are actually interested and were taking in what was being said.
- Make the effort to get to know other barristers within chambers – I introduced myself and then connected with several of the barristers on LinkedIn. Again, this just goes back to being polite, and also building a network.
I hope the above was useful and please remember that I am talking purely from personal experience; what I have said does not apply across the board.
Overall, I cannot stress the importance of securing a MP if you are considering a career at the Bar; it is the best way for you to ascertain if a career at the Bar is truly the right career path for you. Furthermore, experience of this kind on a CV will look great if you are able to demonstrate how you can use what you have learnt in a future job role. Most importantly, don’t forget to enjoy yourself and take it all in!
Thank you for reading!
Abby x
[All opinions are my own.]
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