Pupils at top sets urge applying
The COMBAR mentoring scheme for individuals from groups who are under-represented at the bar (and the commercial bar in particular) is open for applications for the 2026-2027 cycle. The scheme is an important part of COMBAR’s commitment to improving access and diversity in the legal profession.
More than 870 mentees have benefited from the scheme to date. Three of those mentees who have been successful in obtaining pupillage have written about their experiences below. Any applicants to the scheme should bear in mind that the mentoring relationship is a personal one and that mentors on the scheme are not obliged to review application forms and offer mock interviews.
The deadline for applications is Friday 16 October 2026.
Applicants wishing to participate in the scheme are requested to download and complete the application form which can be found here.
Laura Wilson, pupil barrister, 3VB
My path to the bar did not begin with law, but an English and French degree. It was thus rather a shock to the system upon starting the GDL when I was thrust into the world of mooting, mini-pupillages and other legal extracurriculars from almost the first week, and before I had even begun to understand the foundational legal subjects.
It was a relief when I applied successfully to the COMBAR mentor programme and was allocated a mentor who practised in my area of interest. Our first meetings consisted of more general discussions about the commercial bar and the reality of life as a barrister. I found these discussions helpful in confirming my ambition to be a commercial barrister, particularly as it gave me the opportunity to ask more frank questions than I might have asked during formal mini-pupillages.
Where the mentor scheme had the most impact in my journey to securing pupillage was during pupillage applications. My mentor advised me on my choice of chambers and my approach to written applications. She also did several mock interviews with me, which I found really useful, especially as she was willing to work through a full problem question with me. Compared to some other mock interviews I had which stuck to general motivation and competency questions, the opportunity to practise a full problem question was invaluable.
As someone who had no personal connections to the bar, I found my mentor to be a reassuring and helpful presence throughout applications. She was always there to answer questions, however small, or give encouragement when I needed it most. I am very grateful for her help in securing the pupillage of my dreams!”
Alexandra Kosta-Foti, future pupil barrister, Quadrant Chambers
I was born and raised on the small Mediterranean island of Rhodes, Greece, before moving to the UK on a scholarship to complete my A-levels and, later, my undergraduate studies. As a History undergraduate, I took part in mooting competitions against law students. I was drawn to the challenge of advocating complex points of law, and it was through mooting that I realised a career at the bar is the path for me.
I remember attending an event for aspiring barristers and feeling as though I had entered a different world. The bar seemed exciting and inspiring, but it also felt, at times, unattainable. I was navigating an unfamiliar country and profession, speaking in what was then my third language, and trying to find my place as a working-class woman in a profession that could feel far removed from my own background.
The COMBAR Mentoring scheme helped me navigate those barriers. I participated in the scheme over a number of different years. Each time my mentors created an environment in which I could ask questions openly, build my confidence and, importantly, feel that I belonged. Being paired with female mentors was particularly meaningful. I could share experiences, frustrations and concerns with individuals who understood and experienced the challenges of entering and progressing within a male-dominated profession.
Being able to speak to my mentors one-to-one, whether over a coffee or in a call, gave me a space to be honest about my worries, frustrations and setbacks, and to know that I was being heard. Their reassurance and perspective gave me the confidence to keep going, particularly at times when I doubted myself. My mentors also provided invaluable practical guidance, from reviewing applications to conducting mock interviews.
Above all, however, the Scheme made barriers that had once seemed impossible to overcome feel surmountable. It showed me that the bar was not a world I could only look into from the outside; I could find my place within it.
Ruihan Liu, barrister, One Essex Court
Whenever someone asks me for tips on applying for pupillage at the commercial bar, the first thing I recommend that they do is to apply to the COMBAR mentorship scheme.
For many applicants (myself included), the process of applying for a pupillage at a commercial set can seem very daunting. You are expected to demonstrate your intellectual abilities both in writing and in interviews, to present legal analysis before a panel of experienced barristers, and to defend your answers against tough questioning.
My experience on the COMBAR mentorship scheme was invaluable in preparing me for the process. My mentor has a busy practice in commercial, insolvency and construction law. Because of our clashing diaries, we did not manage to meet for a few months, by which time the interview stage of the application cycle was in full swing. Keen for some practice, I asked her whether she would do a mock interview with me, to which she kindly agreed. I still remember meeting her for the first time, then proceeding to be (gently) grilled in an hour-long interview and offered concrete, constructive feedback that I subsequently took home to work on.
The practical benefit of doing a mock interview is self-evident, and I do not need to belabour the point. But in addition, having a mentor like mine — who took time out of her busy diary to read my application form, formulate interview questions, analyse my performance, and encourage me to deal with rejections head on — showed me that there was someone who genuinely wanted me to succeed, and who believed that I could succeed. That brought a great deal of psychological comfort during a stressful application process, and in no small part contributed to my confidence at the interviews.
After I secured a pupillage offer, my mentor took me out to lunch and gave me some helpful advice on how to tackle pupillage — which I now realised is in substance a year-long job interview. This is another great thing about the COMBAR mentorship scheme. So much of one’s career at the Bar is about being guided by those who have come before. Once you have got your foot in the door by securing a pupillage, your COMBAR mentor may be the first person to give you practical tips on how to navigate your career.
Applicants wishing to participate in the COMBAR scheme are requested to download and complete the application form which can be found here.
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