Deka Chambers

The mood among members is broadly positive. “Every case throws up a challenge,” one junior told us, with a colleague adding that “there are numerous occasions where unusual legal points need to be raised.”

Pupillage at Deka is structured around three rotating seats of two months each. The first seat is with a civil practitioner, typically one specialising in personal injury or clinical negligence, and focuses on written skills: advices, legal drafting and client conferences. Seats two and three are with supervisors in criminal and family law respectively, shifting the emphasis towards court skills including analysis, preparation, witness handling and oral advocacy. Alongside the supervisor structure, pupils take part in an internal advocacy programme led by senior and junior members, using recent but concluded cases from the civil, criminal and family lists to develop and refine their arguments with direct feedback.

In the second six, pupils are assigned a fourth supervisor, generally a broad common law practitioner, who provides guidance across all three main practice areas and continues to give written and oral feedback as pupils begin building their own practice through daily court appearances.

New tenants are expected to maintain a common law practice spanning crime, family and civil work for at least three years before specialising. Tenancy is not automatic; pupils must submit an anonymised portfolio of their work alongside a covering letter around one month before the end of pupillage. The set points to a strong record of retention and a structured programme of teaching and support, and the juniors we spoke to consistently praised the internal advocacy training as first-rate.

Beyond pupillage, Deka offers a mentoring scheme and ongoing in-house training, including input from external professionals. Members describe a collegiate atmosphere, with an open-door policy and a clerking team that is well regarded for both career support and workload management. “The clerks are alive to the need for members to have sufficient respite,” one tenant told us, and another noted that “there’s never a complaint when you want some time off.” For one member who had suffered a personal tragedy, chambers proved “highly supportive,” with work fitted around their circumstances.

Socially, the set hosts monthly Thirsty Thursdays, a chambers-wide informal drinks gathering, alongside regular socials within each practice team. Members describe a friendly environment, though those with a busy practice can opt out without any pressure.

Deka is based at 5 Norwich Street, a modern building that became home to legacy set 9 Gough Square following a move in 2020. The space includes conference rooms, lecture areas, up-to-date IT facilities and a rooftop terrace with views said to stretch as far as Big Ben. Clients, members note, tend to comment on the view.

Pupils receive a financial package of £70,000, paid half as a monthly award during the first six and half as guaranteed earnings during the practising second six. A discretionary draw-down facility is available pre-pupillage, and mitigating circumstances are taken into account. Chambers has recently advertised up to three pupillages per year, so prospective applicants should check the current vacancy listing for confirmation.

Before pupillage my legal work experience was definitely more modest than that of some of my peers. I had undertaken a number of mini pupillages, which I found useful to identify the areas of law that were interesting to me, and the sort of chambers that I wanted to be at. I had also carried out work experience for some solicitors’ firms. In addition, I had volunteered for the BPP Family Pro Bono Legal Clinic, which gave me some experience advising clients in writing and courtroom experience as a McKenzie Friend.

I especially benefitted from volunteering for Inner Temple Mooting Society Committee. I began on the committee working to organise some internal moots, and the next year I was President of the Committee. This was a brilliant way of meeting people in the profession and learning more about a life within it, especially as I did not come from a background where I had lawyers in my family.

Please describe your pupillage experience

I had an excellent pupillage experience at Deka Chambers. I chose to undertake pupillage at Deka because it offers a unique opportunity to build a common law practice.

My first six was split working with three supervisors, spending two months shadowing civil law, two months shadowing family law, and two months shadowing crime. Then, in my second six, I practised in all three areas. I had fabulous opportunities, shadowing multiple cases in the High Court and the Court of Appeal, as well as the ability to shadow more junior members of chambers working on the sort of cases that I would be likely doing in my own practice.

During the first six, I was set various pieces of paperwork and given feedback on these. I also benefitted from an internal chambers advocacy course which aimed to develop our skills within a supportive environment. Most of the sessions were unassessed, with the last three sessions being evaluated. It was a great opportunity to receive proper feedback, which is something you rarely get in this job!

How did you find the transition from pupil to tenant?

There is a definite jump between pupillage and tenancy. At Deka Chambers, this comes with the introduction of doing paperwork in your own name. I am very lucky to have the support of paperwork supervisors for the first three years of my tenancy. In terms of court work, I have quickly developed a busy practice. I have enjoyed getting to grips with a diverse range of fields, and to gain in confidence. I am constantly grateful for the support of the chambers hivemind when I encounter something for the first time.

Please describe what your practice is like now

I have a court-based practice and spend nigh on every day in court. Sometimes in the morning, I may handle a family case, before dealing with a crime matter in the afternoon. There is no such thing as a typical working week, one week I may be in a Crown Court trial, and the next I may be jumping between different areas each day. I am also very lucky to be given the opportunity to have junior briefs. I am currently working with one of our civil silks in chambers on a high value occupational stress claim.

Please describe the culture of your chambers

Chambers is an incredibly supportive and friendly environment. On my first day of pupillage, I logged into my work inbox to find multiple emails from barristers across levels of call and disciplines, wishing me good luck and offering support and providing me with their phone number in case I had any questions. I know that I have a list of people in any area and any level of seniority that I can call anytime if I need to.

We also have a fabulous clerking team that is incredibly friendly and skilled at reacting to last minute diary changes, meaning if a trial falls out of my diary, I am never short of work. They are also incredibly receptive if I need them to organise cover on one of my cases to allow me to catch up with my paperwork or simply have a bit of time off.

I cannot understate the importance of choosing a supportive environment. This job is not simple, and nor is it easy for those who do not work in it to understand. Being able to have a chat through a difficult situation that you encountered in Court is invaluable. I am very grateful for the Deka Chambers group WhatsApps and pub trips!

Please detail your top tips for those wanting to become a barrister/secure a pupillage at your chambers

In terms of the application, Deka Chambers is very open about the criteria that we use to mark our applications. We have open evenings, and we also have information published on the website. Doing research prior to beginning writing the applications is essential.

Keep your written application form short and concise. It is an opportunity to demonstrate written advocacy skills, and there is nothing that barristers hate more than reading unnecessary or repetitive information.

In terms of the interviews, I think the main battle is controlling your nerves: once you’ve done that, you can be yourself and excel in the interview. For me, positive thinking was not a mindset that helped me here (it’s just not my personality!). Instead, I did the opposite. I thought to myself that there was no way that I was going to get pupillage on this cycle, and as such I had nothing to lose. I treated my pupillage interviews as practice, which made me pile less pressure on myself allowing me to perform better. Find a method that works for you to control your nerves. You may never control them completely, but anything that helps you minimise them is worth doing!

Finally, just keep going. Completing the pupillage process, alongside whatever else is going on in your life, is incredibly difficult, but it will be worth it.