Experience from Members
My First Mini-Pupillage
The best way to decide if a career at the Bar is for you is by doing a mini-pupillage. My first mini-pupillage solidified the idea I had in my head of being a criminal barrister and I have not looked back since! I learnt a lot, from how to do a good application to what it’s like in chambers and in court.
My 10 Open Day Experiences
Why I did it:
Strategy
In my first round of application cycles, one of my rejection emails recommended that I apply for an Insight Day, which got me thinking about my application strategy. The reasoning behind this goes with the fact that if I have not had any interaction with the law firm, how would my response be convincing and genuine? The person who is reading it on the other side simply could not put a face to the response.
Taking On Mini-Pupillages
For anyone hoping to go to the bar securing mini-pupillages is an essential but daunting task, involving hours of preparing applications, dealing with covering letters which never sound right, and not infrequent rejection. Even when your successful experiences can vary wildly, and you’ll never know what to expect. However as someone who has grappled with this process time and time again, I’m hoping to give you tips on how to apply for mini-pupillages, where to find them, and advice on how to take advantage of these all-important placements.
My Summer Work Experience in a Nutshell
To improve my CV and to learn more about the legal industry I embarked on three work experience placements this summer. Two were specific to law at Ward Hadaway and Crombie Wilkinson and one was at Macmillan Cancer Support in the Human Resources department.
My path to the Criminal Bar
In order to become a barrister one must first obtain (and successfully complete) a Pupillage. Pupillage is the final stage of training on the path to the bar and sees prospective barristers complete an apprenticeship before hopefully starting professional practice as a tenant at a barristers’ chambers. The competition for pupillages is intense, with near 20,000 applications being made for roughly 500 positions each year.
Experiencing Freshfields' Brussels Office
My placement in the firm’s Brussels office was an incredible experience! Everyone was welcoming and supportive, and there were many interns my age so there was always someone to talk to. I got to sit in the firm’s internationally renowned ACT team, looking at the work they were doing for a project I’d been introduced to during my time in London.
I am still enjoying DLA Piper as much as I did in first year
I am now reaching the end of my time on the DLA Piper Privileged Access Scholarship Programme, and I write this now having finished the Spring Vacation Scheme, and having received a Training Contract Offer to work at DLA Piper.
Prior to coming to university, I had only experienced high-street law firms. DLA Piper was the first global law firm that I had exposure to, and what immediately struck me was the down-to-earth and genuinely friendly nature of the DLA representatives - Heidi Thomas and Andrew Davies. I had never considered wanting to work for a commercial firm, and they really opened my eyes to the potential of working on exciting deals, alongside getting involved in Business Development and Pro Bono work.