Aspiring barrister seeks guidance
In the latest submission to our Career Conundrums series, an aspiring barrister shares their dejection after completing a fourth application cycle without securing a pupillage offer.
“Hello Legal Cheek. Please keep me anonymous. I’ve just come out of my fourth pupillage application cycle and I am feeling very deflated. While I failed to receive an offer, I did (for the first time) make the reserve list at one set. I’ve made some progress over the years: no interviews the first year and couple in the second year. I made three second round interviews last year but again no offers. I feel after this latest cycle that I am running on empty and it would be good to hear from your readers about their own journeys and struggles! For context, I have first class non-law degree from a Russell Group uni and I am targeting civil sets.”
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I think that the answer is found in your question.
Each year you have applied, you have done better… whilst not the progression you want (in the sense of not getting an offer), it is progress and in a setting as competitive as pupillage applications (even more so when it comes to Civil sets,) you can only be proud.
You have certainly given a lot to simply be in the position to make the reserve list so do not give up now. You can do it (and likely will if you keep at it).
Note: I work at a top city firm and applied to over 40 internships/schemes before I got my first full time job; I additionally applied for minis and pupillages (whilst having a first class law degree from a RG, top mooting wins, and top awards) and made it to only a few minis and no interviews… Everyone (nearly…) can attest to some form of roadblock/setback in their journey and what you can be certain of is that this will make the success all the better.
Good luck!
Unless there is something seriously wrong with your CV (which is incredibly unlikely of you’re reaching multiple SRIs, and basically impossible if you are made a reserve offer) there’s still a point in continuing, and you should do so if this is the career that you want.
When deciding between first offers and reserve offers, there is often little to no difference between the candidates. I was made a reserve offer, and I know that I scored the same as the first offeree; they gave the first offer to the older person as a tie break. Luckily for me he didn’t want it and I’m now a very happy tenant.
You will have heard that luck plays a huge part in this process – whether a reserve converts into an offer is almost entirely on luck. In an alternative universe you performed the same this round and were offered pupillage this year. That is extremely encouraging and shows you have the ability and the CV to succeed in this profession.
It’s a hard process and seems to get harder every year – persevere. Continue. It will make you a better barrister when you arrive.
Best of luck!!
I would suggest evaluating the sets you’re getting results from (especially where you were a reserve). It is incredibly hard to get pupillage and it may be that you need to adjust your expectations downwards for the sake of getting through the door. So, if you were reserve at a top 10 set in whatever field, maybe you need to look at sets 11-20.
In your position I would be considering what plan B is and what it would take to get there. If Plan B is a training contract then I would probably be making those applications alongside pupillage applications for the next round. At a certain point, it is going to be better to just move forward on the career ladder rather than wait for your dream job. This is especially true if you think you might want to take time off in future to have kids (it is helpful to get more years of work under your belt before a career break of this sort). Although it is true that if you are getting second round interviews and reserve offers that you are good enough, sadly the field is very competitive, there are an awful lot of candidates out there who are good enough, so being good enough is not a guarantee of success. You are clearly an able candidate and will be able to flourish in any number of careers. Good luck.
It’s a tough profession to get into so having a plan b is good advice. You need to decide when plan A seems no longer viable if it comes to that. To me it seems your annual progress is taking you in the right direction so I would be thinking about making more improvement to the cv over the next 12 months and to try again.
As for plan b being a training contract, I’m not convinced that is a potential fall back plan available to all aspiring barristers. It’s not an easy option either. Depending on where you apply to, competition is greater in the sheer number of applicants you are up against and the process can be nearly as intense and demanding. If that is the plan b, research it well.. there are many more TCs available than pupillages but equally many more SQE, paralegals etc than bar students.
On the pupillage gateway, if you apply for 12 pupillages, you are likely competing for 12-15 spots (ie one or two pupillage vacancies on offer per chambers). If you apply to 12 city law firms, you are likely competing for 240-360 spots (ie 20-30 TCs per firm). With those opportunities for the same number of applications, if you’re at the level of getting pupillage interviews, the odds are likely in your favour. Most of the decent bar course students I know who were unable to secure pupillage have gone on to work in city firms. (I appreciate there are other factors, but as a starting point, I think it’s fair.)
The bar is mostly awful. Get pupillage anywhere apart from at a handful of elite chambers and you’ll spend most of your time doing endless personal injury work or deeply depressing crime and family that really should be done by solicitors for the most part. Also barristers tend to be pretty up themselves.
Harsh but fair
The up your self comment is entirely justified, but I don’t think that summary of life at the Bar/ quality of work is fair
On that trajectory, if you continue to improve your application and with the additional interview experience, you stand a pretty good shot I’d say.
I’d also say that if your priority is CASH and you’re looking at doing mixed civil, then do keep in mind that though the money is good, it’s a really, really hard / stressful job, which doesn’t get any easier.
No scope to become a senior statesperson rainmaker partner who spends all their time doing BD. The most successful people in the job (i.e KCs) are doing the hardest cases. Yes, there are rewards, but in my lazier moments I wish I’d done something which is easier.
A part of my heart broke reading this-no joke – chin up
Here’s a story. I knew a guy who didn’t secure pupillage out the gate. He instead started legal researching for barristers and solicitors. He slowly maneuvered himself into a legal assistance role which saw him working with some of the countries leading counsel on very large direct access cases. He didn’t secure pupillage for 9 years…yes, 9 – BUT! he was gaining the most amazing experience. Eventually, he did secure pupillage. He had to put in applications to the BSB for an extension to the 5-year rule, but because he had gained so much experience he not only received the 5-year waiver, he also got a 6-month reduction on his pupillage requirement. Fast forward 7-years, that guy was me and I now have a very successful practice at the commercial Bar. If you want it, stick at it. Never give up.
Keep at it. You only need to succeed once.
I got pupillage on my 4th year of applying, and I know a few others who also did. I was first reserve but it turned up trumps and that’s all you need. I’d put your feet in two camps. Yes, keep applying, but can you work on Plan B at the same time, just in case?
No.
Short answer?
Try for 1 more year and then give up if you want (5 years is the max for a Bar Grad before the qualification becomes stale). As you have done it for 4 years, 1 more year can be a useful cut off. Do not quit now – sunk cost I know – but 1 more year won’t damage your career. At the end of the 5 years you will have reached a finality; if you achieve Pupillage – all worth it. If not, that is a finite time period where you can accept your losses, and move on.
Stick at it. I know a few who have got it taking longer. Try common law sets. Do something relevant and interesting in between that isn’t County Court advocacy (i.e. something other than LPC etc).
I think if you made the reserve list of a good set, you shouldn’t give up. I know barristers at very good sets who have taken years (in one case seven years) to get pupillage. If you still want to go to the Bar, don’t give up. You do need to critically assess where things are going wrong, though. You should ask/beg each set for feedback, try to do mock interviews ahead of next year’s round, reach out to your Inn – Lincoln’s has a great scheme – to see whether there are any support or development programmes available for those struggling to get pupillage. Hit up any barristers you know to look over your application form next year before it goes in etc.
Also maybe try out of London/a broader range of sets- make sure you are applying for the maximum number you can each year. Apply for the 33/42 Bedford Rows, 5 Pump Courts etc as well as the sets with more established civil practices Best to get in at a set which might not be your ideal, build a bit of a practice and then move.