Landmark Chambers

Recent planning and environmental work gives a flavour of just how central Landmark is to this area. The set appeared in 10 of Planning Resource’s 12 key rulings of 2025, with 18 Landmark barristers involved across those cases. One headline example is CG Fry & Son v Secretary of State for Housing, the long-awaited Supreme Court case on whether environmental protections aimed at reducing nutrient pollution could still bite after planning permission had already been granted for a housing scheme. Dr Ashley Bowes and Matthew Henderson appeared for the successful appellant, CG Fry, in a decision with major implications for housebuilders, environmental protections and local planning authorities. Elsewhere, Landmark members have been busy with everything from grey belt development and solar farms to music festivals in public parks. Joint head of chambers Sasha White KC and Matthew Henderson acted for Lambeth in the High Court challenge to the use of Brockwell Park for large-scale music festivals, while Richard Moules KC and Nick Grant appeared for the Secretary of State in a High Court case clarifying the approach to “grey belt” land near a National Landscape.

The public law, procurement and inquiries work is no less eye-catching. David Blundell KC and Karl Laird represented the Home Secretary, with Tim Buley KC acting as leading Special Advocate, in the Court of Appeal litigation over the proscription of Palestine Action, a case raising major issues of national security, protest rights and Articles 10 and 11 of the ECHR. Barney McCay, meanwhile, was part of the team successfully acting for the Gambling Commission in the £1.3 billion National Lottery procurement challenge, following a trial lasting more than two months. Landmark members have also been involved in some of the most sensitive public inquiries around: Harriet Wakeman is counsel to the Southport Inquiry, while the set has also appeared in litigation arising from the Undercover Policing Inquiry.

Members really do have “challenging, interesting and high-profile” caseloads, we’re told, and the set’s work regularly straddles public law, human rights, national security, procurement and regulatory disputes. Landmark members are instructed by all kinds of clients, including central government, local authorities, companies, individuals and NGOs. Around 30 members sit on the Attorney General’s panel of counsel, underlining the volume of government work flowing through chambers. “I have been genuinely surprised by how much good quality public law work there is,” says one rookie. “I don’t think there are many other sets professing to do public law where a junior can do this much interesting work.”

It’s not just the work at Landmark that’s high quality. We hear the tenants themselves are pretty wonderful too. Senior members are said to go out of their way to nurture those starting out, with one junior saying they “have felt supported from day one of the tenancy.” There’s very much an open-door policy throughout the set, so there’s always someone to go and speak to if you need help. “If I ask for help, I get it. If I am asked for help, I give it. This is embedded in our culture and it is essential to the way we roll,” one insider told us. And even when you’re not physically in the building, advice is always on hand: “If you email your colleagues, then despite everyone appearing so busy, you get multiple responses within minutes, even for the most minor or stupid junior barrister queries. This level of support for the most junior members of chambers baffles me, frankly. I can only assume that, contrary to appearances, there are lots of people in chambers with very little to do.” The clerks earn praise too, with one tenant calling them “excellent and unstinting in their support and dedication.” Landmark has also been there in times of need on a personal level, with one member praising the set for going “above and beyond when I had a health issue.” Wellbeing initiatives are in place, such as the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), which helps barristers, pupils and staff with personal and professional problems.

This support is sometimes especially important, as high-level work can often mean long hours. One tenant tells us: “I’ve had a lot of high-level cases on hand recently, which has made balancing work and life a little bit trickier than usual, but my clerks are really helpful in supporting me through difficult times and keeping my work diary sensible.” Another echoes the point: “While (as for all self-employed barristers) the internal pressure to keep taking on new cases is always there, our clerks are great at supporting us to make decisions about work capacity which promote work/life balance, and they help us when diaries become complicated.” It can’t be all bad, mind, when one junior adds: “It is really up to individuals to decide how much money they want to make.”

All of which makes it the more important to unwind. Happily, members of chambers commonly meet for lunch, or for cake on Mondays, even if remote working has thinned the numbers. We hear there are “fairly frequent” social events, though other tenants tell us that, because everyone is so busy, “post-work casual social activity is limited.” According to one tenant, social life “has not recovered since the pandemic.” At least Landmark’s location makes it easy to pop out for a quick lunch or post-work drink. Based on Fleet Street, the set sits handily near the Royal Courts of Justice and lawyer-y drinking holes such as El Vino.

While it’s safe to say Landmark lacks the historic grandeur of those chambers that find themselves in the Inns, the inside of the building is well-equipped. Indeed, one tenant has described the space as the “only bad thing about Landmark,” and even that is far from a given. The client-facing side of chambers is said to be “well-presented,” with “well-equipped conferencing facilities” and “decent air conditioning and heating.” In summary: “It’s not the most impressive building, but who cares? Are the barristers in it impressive? Oh yes.” Nuff said. As for the barristers’ rooms, we’re told there’s an endless supply of tea and biscuits on each floor. The only difficulty is getting up there, as one tenant reveals: “The lifts have clearly been possessed by a wayward sprite or djinn (mischievous rather than malevolent) who enjoys toying with pupil and KC alike. How his antics make us chuckle!”

The IT team receives strong feedback, with praise for its “skilled IT technicians” who have helped to “facilitate all manner of new technological innovations.” Chambers has also signed up to LiquidText to support tenants in analysing complex documents. Rookies joining the set can expect access to a library of legal texts in chambers, plus the keys to Landmark’s online knowledge bank, which includes Westlaw and Lexis. Pupils also receive dedicated training on the set’s practice management and diary system.

Landmark recruits up to three pupils per year, one specialising in property. Pupillage is divided into four seats: planning and environment, property, public law and a fourth of the pupil’s own choosing. Pupils complete three written and one advocacy assessment, with feedback provided on all. As one former pupil puts it: “I had an absolutely lovely pupillage. Assessment and results were clear, supportive colleagues and interesting work where I learned a lot.” Pupils are encouraged to work with other members on their cases throughout the year, and Landmark arranges for them to work with a KC or senior junior on more complex matters. In the second six months, pupils are given their own cases and dispatched off to court, usually the county court or first-tier tribunal, on small applications. The training process clearly worked well for one insider, who tells us: “Being on your feet for the first time is nerve-wracking for every new second six, but I felt ready to rise to the challenge. It helped that my supervisors were always on hand to provide last-minute assistance.” On top of training carried out within the set, Landmark also funds pupils’ attendance at several extra training events throughout the year, including the compulsory pupillage training courses.

Anyone wishing to apply for pupillage should do so through the Pupillage Gateway. Those scoring highest in the written application will be invited to complete an hour-long written assessment, for which no prior preparation is required. The highest scorers in that assessment are then invited to an interview in front of a panel, with offers made on the combined scores from the written application, assessment and interview. The pupillage award is a generous £80,000.

For those lucky enough to receive an offer, and willing to put in some hard graft, Landmark has a good record of retaining pupils. According to chambers’ website, in the last three years the set has kept on eight of its nine pupils, and it emphasises that even where a rookie isn’t kept on, it has an equally strong record of finding opportunities elsewhere. Worth noting too: pupils aren’t in competition for tenancy spots. If there are three pupils, there are three tenancy places up for grabs.

Landmark says it is committed to improving equality and diversity at the bar. In association with Cornerstone Barristers, Falcon Chambers, Field Court Chambers, Francis Taylor Building and Kings Chambers (all sets with similar specialisms), it runs a mentoring scheme for under-represented groups at the bar. It also supports Bridging the Bar and 10,000 Black Interns.

When I returned from my travels, I started the GDL in London. I worked as a waitress part time alongside this to help fund my studies, and also undertook four more mini pupillages at a variety of sets. By this time, I had a better idea of the type of practice I wanted to pursue, so I focused on obtaining mini-pupillages at sets specialising in public law. During my GDL, I also undertook some pro bono written advocacy for Amnesty International and took part in a number of mooting competitions for the first time, which was a brilliant introduction to legal advocacy and fantastic preparation for pupillage interviews. I applied for pupillage for the first time while doing the GDL to 7-8 sets and got through to a handful of first-round, and a couple of second-round, interviews but received no offers. Going through the process was an invaluable experience, and I learnt a lot from this which helped me in my preparation for applying the following year.

Following completion of the GDL, I started the BPTC having obtained a scholarship from Gray’s Inn. During my BPTC, as well as continuing with mooting, I volunteered with Communities Empowerment Network, where I was given the opportunity to represent the parents of children who have been temporarily or permanently excluded from school, to help them to challenge the exclusion. It was incredibly rewarding to gain experience of “real-world” advocacy alongside more formal, legal advocacy on the BPTC. I applied for pupillage for the second time during my BPTC (this time applying to 11-12 sets) and obtained an offer from Landmark which I accepted.

In the year between finishing the BPTC and starting pupillage at Landmark, I worked as a Judicial Assistant in the Court of Appeal, most notably working on the Heathrow Airport expansion appeal.

The pupillage experience

I was drawn to Landmark for two main reasons. First, when I attended an open day there prior to applying for pupillage I was struck by how genuinely friendly and approachable everybody was, whatever the level of seniority. While everyone is exceptionally talented and impressive, no one made me feel intimidated. This held true at the interview stage which made what is undoubtedly a stressful and anxious experience that little bit easier. Second, as well as the warmth of Chambers, Landmark’s prominence in public law, with barristers appearing in all the major and constitutionally significant cases each year — Begum, Miller, Heathrow Airport to name but a few — was indicative of the quality of work chambers produced and the opportunities available.

Pupillage is split into four seats, each three-months long, with a different supervisor for each seat. The first three seats are in Chambers’ main practice areas: planning/environmental, public and property. At the end of each of those seats you undertake an assessed written exercise in that area of law. For your final seat, you can request to repeat whatever practice area you most enjoyed or would like to gain more experience in. You are set work mainly by your supervisor, but there are also opportunities to do work for other members of Chambers. There are also two advocacy assessments which take place during the year, before the tenancy decision.

While there are opportunities to take on your own work during the second six of pupillage at Landmark, you are encouraged up until the tenancy decision to focus on work for your supervisor to maximise your chance of successfully obtaining tenancy. However, the tenancy decision is usually taken after your first three seats, so people typically take on much more of their own work in the final seat which is brilliant preparation for when you become a tenant.

My experience of pupillage was unlike most (and hopefully not one which will be repeated) as I was a pandemic pupil so spent most of the year at home during a lockdown rather than in Chambers with my supervisor. Landmark made every effort to ensure I still had the fullest experience possible, for example, I was able to assist with and observe the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, a case in the Supreme Court concerning child tax credit, and a number of planning inquiries.

Finally, and importantly, Landmark make clear that there is space for all its pupils to be offered tenancy so the only person you are in competition with is yourself. In other words, provided you meet the standard required for tenancy, you will be made an offer, regardless of the decision made in relation to your co-pupils. This is so important because the only people who can truly empathise with you during pupillage are your co-pupils, and so to feel you can fully support each other rather than being in competition with each other is extremely valuable.

The transition from pupil to tenant

My transition from pupil to tenant was more challenging than most because I had spent the majority of my pupillage year in a lockdown due to the Covid pandemic, which restricted my ability to take on my own work during the second six.

However, the support of members of chambers made the transition far easier than it would have otherwise been. Landmark genuinely does have an open-door policy; I have never knocked on the door of a member of chambers — however junior or senior — and been turned away. Everyone is always willing to offer you their time to sense-check some advice, to ask a question, or to tell you where to find the best textbook/resource. Even now, over a year into practice, members still knock on my door regularly to check in and ask how I am getting on. Opportunities to be a junior to more senior members of chambers — and observe how they run a case – are also incredibly helpful learning experiences in the early stages.

What is your practice like now?

I have a broad practice focused on public and planning law. Landmark encourages its juniors to maintain a broad practice in the early stages which has lots of benefits: it makes you more marketable, it helps you to work out what you enjoy most and what you may like to specialise in, it gives you the opportunity to work with a wide range of solicitors and more senior barristers, and it makes your work-life interesting and varied as no two days are the same.

The balance of court and advisory work depends a lot on the area of law you’re working in, but I enjoy the balance I have. Some weeks I will have a planning inquiry which will involve travelling to somewhere in the country for a hearing; other times, I have SEND hearings which mostly take place remotely; more recently, I have been attending Infected Blood Inquiry hearings in London. Other weeks will be spent doing written advocacy in the form of an advice or opinion. It really is the variety of both the content and form of work at the bar, and specifically at Landmark, which is, in my view, its greatest appeal.

In terms of hours and work-life balance, I feel very lucky to be at a chambers where work-life balance is respected by both the clerks and other members. Others may have a different view on this, but I try to be firm with myself about not working weekends and would prefer to start working early on a weekday to protect my weekends as much as possible. My biggest advice is to set your non-negotiables early on and feel able to say no when you are genuinely at capacity. My view is it is far easier to build a sustainable practice, and avoid burn-out, if you do this from day one.

What is the culture of chambers?

As previously stated, it was the culture at Landmark that was one of the biggest draws for me to the Chambers, and my experience since starting practice has only proven that impression to have been correct. The Bar survives and thrives on its collegiate nature, and I have always found everyone at Landmark to be friendly and happy to offer you their time and help.

Chambers is also very sociable with internal team parties/drinks, cakes every Monday (encouraging everyone to come together once a week), and a Chamber’s football and (soon-to-be) netball team. Chambers also organises a number of well-being events, most recently including sessions on diet and nutrition, fitness, and managing stress and resilience, as well as free sessions with an osteopath and a yoga instructor. There is a particularly strong collegiate relationship between the women in chambers, which I personally really value, and which is encouraged by our monthly female members’ lunches.

Finally, the clerks and staff at Landmark are simply first-class. They make you feel truly supported, they listen carefully to your individual fears and ambitions, and they are always supportive and helpful in a moment of crisis. They can help manage tricky encounters with clients, they notice and celebrate your success, and they are always looking out for new opportunities to put you forward for.

Top tips for those wanting to become a barrister/secure a pupillage at your chambers

My top tips for securing pupillage at Landmark are:

1. Be concise. Try to communicate your point in the fewest words possible. This demonstrates good written advocacy and means your answers will be focused and clear.

2. Do your research. Invest time in understanding the type of work we do at Landmark by talking to our members and researching the cases we are involved in. Explain to us why it is that the type of work we do, is the type of work you want to do.

3. Be honest. Do not try to write the answer you think we want to read. We want to know who you are, what you are interested in and what you are capable of.