You have got to be curious. Legal Cheek has reviews and ratings of many sets (some specifically from a pupillage perspective). Bring your personal and family life experiences to interview and into your The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertisement". Top tips for pupillage interviews from a current pupil However, as long as you prepare properly for a pupillage interview, there's always a chance that you're the lucky applicant. The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website. Read this key advice on how to prepare for the final stage of pupillage selection. Chambers websites, and the individual barristers pages on those websites, are good, but online directories will give you an idea which areas those chambers really have their reputation in. Chambers are only able to interview a small minority of applicants. This information is used to compile report and improve site. If you did that, it would actually be a point against you because we are interested in the analysis of the principles and not how many cases you know. I feel strongly that the profession needs to change the way it operates and recruits because of the young talent it ultimately passes by, and I feel that making personalised feedback mandatory for candidates who have secured an interview, would be one very small way of changing it for the better. Practical exercises based around legal problems are quite common, according to feedback we receive from students. This cookies are used to collect analytical information about how visitors use the website. Gobble up Times Law, Legal Cheek, Legal Twitter, and blogs by proper lawyers and academics for hot takes on vexed issues of law and politics. In two days of this article being released, we had over 2000 views and several messages saying it was some of the most detailed pupillage advice the pupillage hopefuls had seen. How to ace your pupillage interview: tips from qualified barristers The standard CV drill, so know your CV well and describe your experiences. You might be able to access the Times online via law library subscriptions or your Inn. Tip 1: If you get through the pupillage application stage and you are now preparing for a pupillage interview, well done. I am not apologetic in saying that to you because the one thing you are going to have to demonstrate if you want to be a barrister is that you are self-directed, self-motivated and independent learner who is prepared to seek out information yourself and then apply it to the courts. Temperament/personality: the ability to remain calm, objective and confident while working under pressure with complex or unfamiliar material. For example, my husband gave me a mock silk interview the day before my real interview. But what are they and which one to choose? So dont strain yourself stretching for originality; aim for simple honest sincerity. It is also about being able to balance intellectual competence with common sense and pragmatism. Pupillage Interviews (Part 1): Top Tips from Eight Silks The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed. That, I was later told, was the clincher. I think just take a deep breath and try your best. Having had the privilege of seeing life from both sides of the interview table, I thought Id offer my own, largely worthless musings on the things I have learned. Chambers are usually supportive when it comes to this, but you often have to request. Specialist Pupillage. But dont be arrogant, and dont bullshit to try to preserve the illusion of confidence interviewers are likely to see through that so if you dont know, say so. According to student feedback, the most common exercise is an advocacy test of some description, or a presentation. I do not mean you shouldn't prepare for the interview and give it your best, but the outcome is out of your control. Theyre trying their best to enable you to shine its in their interests for everyone to be on best form, right? This is the most important case you are going to argue and it cant have a more important subject: you and your future. Copyright 2023 Legal Cheek Ltd. All Rights Reserved. So if you really have a question, then this is your opportunity to ask, but do not feel like you have to just for the sake of it. Draw up a list of likely topics and think about your arguments in advance. In terms of nerves that turn into panic, I think there are three solutions. Pupillage interview preparation. We will provide feedback to second-round candidates who are not offered pupillage on . You will be expected to know it off by heart and you must be prepared to answer questions about anything you have included. The juniors gave very thorough comments on one of my failed pupillage applications. First, do your research about the chambers you have an interview with so you know what their practice areas are very well. We also received over 50 requests for an article on tips for pupillage interviews. At my first ever interview, I span a fluffy cat story about how I was inspired by the story of somebody I met on a mini-pupillage, and how I aspired to tread in their footsteps. Lots of chambers provide extensive information on their own websites, including articles and videos. Some chambers interview panels ask some really awkward questions. While considering other careers is not a problem, you should answer by demonstrating that you have considered other careers that involve some aspect of the law or require skills that are transferable to the legal profession. To all the contributors, our gratitude is truly infinite. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. If you're about to complete your law degree and want to apply . I don't think I'd feel this way if most pupillages didn't start a near 1.5 years after the interview. So remember, it is not important what the first answer you give is, but how you respond to questions after in the course of the interview. Dont rely on the same example for every question, but demonstrate how you have shown intellect, flexibility, determination, teamwork, research skills, oral advocacy, persuasion, and conflict resolution, among other skills. How do we force cowardly murderers to face up to what they have done? What do you do, why and what approach do you take? This is important because, if you get an offer but you felt like you were not really yourself in the interview, things may not work out there. You will then forget everything you went through before. Can you remain impartial and stick to the facts of a case and use those to present a logical reason for disagreeing with the outcome of a case. This is in the hope that the small suggestion I make below for improving the process for applicants (and, as I see it, raising the standards of the profession as a whole), will be considered. Upcoming pupillage interview? | Inner Temple The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. TargetJobs Laws YouTube channel has many years of videos of the talks given at their National Pupillage Fair by barristers across all the practice areas this is information straight from the horses mouth. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors. But dont be overawed by the invitation to discuss yourself in front of members of chambers who are only there because they have to do their turn at interviewing. The second point is that 30% is enough so that you are motivated to do lots of prep work, check everything and pay meticulous attention to detail. Do not come up to a Set which you think specialises in Banking Law but actually does more Clinical Negligence. You could be asked questions like: This question is asked to assess where you get your knowledge of current affairs topics from and how you process that information in relation to the law. In reality, prepare for the unexpected is fairly useless advice; the best antidote for this kind of stuff is experience. Instead, you will be expected to present a logical, well-presented and well-structured argument to address a hotly debated topic relating to law. This quiz is designed to give you a helpful steer as to which practice area you might be suited to. Use The Beginners Guide to a Career in Law to get started, Find out about the various legal apprenticeships on offer and browse vacancies with The Law Apprenticeships Guide, Information on qualifying through the Solicitors Qualifying Exam, including preparation courses, study resources, QWE and more, Discover everything you need to know about developing your knowledge of the business world and its impact on the law, The latest news and updates on the actions being taken to improve diversity and inclusion in the legal profession, Discover advice to help you prepare for and ace your vacation scheme, training contract and pupillage applications, Your first-year guide to a career in law find out how to kickstart your legal career at this early stage, Your non-law guide to a career in law everything you need to know about converting to law.