Selborne Chambers

Recent cases include George Woodhead’s success for respondents in the Court of Appeal against the “human wrecking ball” who was appealing his contempt of court proceedings after repeatedly breaching injunctions meant to prevent him from harassing his neighbours. Maxwell Myers had success in an appeal refusing summary judgment in a claim for payment of some £1.9 million, sought by a company director under the Insolvency Act, in the light of alleged wrongful trading. On appeal, the High Court upheld Mark Warwick KC’s successful strike-out of a dormant counterclaim that had been left dormant for years — an interesting strategic and procedural judgment highlighting how delays undermine both claims and counterclaims.

When off the clock, tenants and pupils alike don’t leave their legal lives at the door, but rather engage in a wide range of pro bono work. Members work in connection with Advocate and CLIPS (Chancery Bar Litigant in Person Support Scheme) in addition to providing other more indirect services to charities. Recent fundraising initiatives has seen the chambers host bake-offs, charity walks and, most recently, participate in the London to Brighton bike ride for various charities.

If all of this work sounds a little on the difficult side (even with the high-quality training) worry not, the Selborne stock are always there to help. “They’re like an extended family. Very different from other Chambers. No internal politics,” a chirpy tenant says. “We have a wide-range of organised events which are well-attended and fun, with good guests. Informally we meet up for drinks and food”, their co-tenant says, whilst another adds “It’s a really fun set in which chambers and staff habitually socialise together. It’s not uncommon for groups within chambers to go on holiday together.” Unsurprisingly, then, we hear that everyone at the set is “extremely friendly and happy to help, both on work and pastoral issues”, and there’s said to be “an excellent atmosphere in chambers. Colleagues will do what they can to help.” One junior says “It’s a young Chambers (both in terms of members and staff) and so people are genuinely open, inclusive, and keen to help. Of particular note: the clerks are very receptive to people taking time off, and childcare commitments generally”.

Of particular note at the commercial and chancery bars is the fact that “the clerks are receptive to down time”. One insider tells us that “the clerks are really good”, going on to praise the chambers for managing their return to work after maternity leave. “Lots of sabbaticals taken” put another. Although “work life balance is very much left to each barrister to determine”, chambers is praised for being “supportive with whatever balance each member strikes” and for being “very respectful of boundaries and time booked off.” Indeed, “Chancery/commercial practice is intense but I feel we are at the forefront of expressly protecting our members against the inevitable pressures,” sums it up well. Such high praise and flexibility are not to be ignored, being relatively rare in this section of the bar. As one junior puts it “this needs more work across the bar generally but, overall, the attitude is good in chambers.”

Chambers are described by one barrister as “two buildings: No. 10, Essex Street and No. 11 Essex Street. Both are lovely to look at from the outside. In terms of interiors; No. 10 is the client facing part, and is modern and impressive; No. 11 is in the ‘old, charming and quirky’ category, but is perfectly functional.” Overall, this receives mixed reviews. One junior describes it as “modest” whilst others label it “efficient and effective”. One area that isn’t up for such debate, however, is the social life on offer at Selborne, which receives unanimous praise. “We have a very social chambers,” says one, with another noting that “there are a good number of formal occasions as well as a monthly chambers lunch”. One heartfelt insider goes as far as to consider themselves “lucky enough to call some of my colleagues my good friends”. On the social side, there’s an “excellent mixed netball league team, five a side football, cycle rides and the Edgar Wallace pub” — the “chambers ‘local’” — all of which are said to be “a great help for informal socialising”. We’re even told that some at Selborne “go on holiday together”!

Other highlights for prospective recruits include the “responsive and patient” IT and tech support, as well as the charitable endeavours already touched on. Another area of focus for the set is combatting homelessness — an issue related to their core practice areas. However, one notes – not necessarily with derision – “We have all the electronic resources we need, but we probably do not have as many touchscreens as some sets”!

As for pupillage, the set take applications through the Pupillage Gateway, before then conducting a number of interview rounds. This is typically set at two, although is subject to discretionary change by chambers. These interviews may include general questions about the applicant, as well as specific questions on a legal problem.

Once rookies begin their pupillage, they can expect to spend time with three or four pupil supervisors. Throughout the year pupils will be asked to prepare for and attend conferences and hearings with their pupil supervisors, produce written pleadings and opinions and undertake legal research, often under considerable time pressure. This isn’t all, however, with pupils expected to spend time with other members of chambers, attending matters before all levels of courts and tribunals.

Unlike many other commercial and commercial chancery sets, pupils at Selborne can also expect to make regular court appearances within their second six, being instructed in their own right. Recruits are guaranteed a minimum of £15k earnings in this time. In addition to this practical experience, chambers offer individual advocacy training in addition to that provided by the Inns of Court.

I did two pupillage applications in my law conversion year, to get used to the process and see how things worked. I got one first round interview that year. In my Bar Course year, I applied to fifteen pupillages, including Selborne, and got to six final rounds.

The Selborne pupillage application process involved two interviews. Before the first interview, I was given a short amount of time to prepare a legal problem question, which was about contract law. I was then asked questions on this by a panel of three interviewers. It felt like a stretching but fun academic exercise, and I definitely learnt a lot from it. There were then other more general questions about my CV and competency-based questions. The second round interview was also with three barristers (of various levels of seniority), and consisted of more questions about me. I was struck by how friendly and approachable the barristers who interviewed me at Selborne were, and came away from the interviews really feeling like Selborne would be a chambers I would love to go to.

The pupillage experience

I was drawn to the variety of work that Selborne does and its reputation as an outstanding commercial chancery set. I wanted to experience a broad range of law before I specialised, and the blend of commercial, property, insolvency, company, and private client work at Selborne was very appealing.

Selborne also seemed to me to be a very modern and forward-looking set. It also stood apart from other commercial chancery sets because it has a practising second six (which means you take on your own cases and do your own advocacy in the second six), which is not something all commercial chancery sets offer.

During my first six, I had two supervisors (each for three months). The work in the first six was a good mix of “live” and “dead” work (i.e., work my supervisors were either doing currently or had already completed). I got detailed feedback, either oral or written, on every bit of work. The work could be anything from legal research on niche points of law, formulating ideas for oral submissions, drafting skeleton arguments, or drafting other legal documents and opinions. My first supervisor was more property-focused and my second did a lot of commercial work, so I felt like I saw a real variety and had a well-rounded experience. My supervisors were very transparent in terms of feedback and very supportive, and I felt like we had very respectful, friendly, and constructive working relationships.

I also attended the Supreme Court with another member of Chambers early on in my first six, to observe a property case.

Before getting “on your feet” at Selborne, i.e., before going to court to do your own cases, you are set a formally assessed advocacy exercise, which mimics the kind of cases you get on your own in court as a practising pupil. This was a good experience as it got you ready to be in front of a Judge yourself and allowed Chambers to give lots of helpful feedback on advocacy.

During my second six, I had one more supervisor. At the start of my second six, I did a mix of my own work and my supervisor’s work. By the end of my second six, I was doing purely my own work which was great as it effectively meant my practice was up and running for the start of tenancy.

During both my first and second sixes, I also did a variety of work for other members of Chambers, both more senior and more junior members. In terms of the cases I saw my supervisors do and cases I worked on, these included civil fraud, landlord & tenant, real property, professional negligence, insolvency, and company law matters.

During my second six, I was also a “devil” in a week-long civil fraud / company law trial a silk in Chambers was doing in the High Court. This was a super experience and meant I was effectively the junior barrister in that case, helping to do legal research and prepare the skeleton arguments and written closing submissions.

The quality of work at Selborne is excellent, and it was super to have opportunities such as the “devilling” in the High Court.

Chambers also felt like a sociable place to be, with Chambers’ lunch every month and many supportive people to go to if I needed help.

The transition from pupil to tenant

The transition from being a pupil to a tenant felt effortless because, by the end of my second six, my workload was effectively like that of a very junior tenant, being in court several times a week and doing all of my own work.

Many of my colleagues were also on hand to give me advice about general practice management as a tenant, on things such as finances, VAT, and how to effectively manage my diary as a barrister!

During my pupillage year, Chambers set up a Whatsapp group with lots of the more junior members and some of the more senior members of Chambers, which is a lively forum where people can ask questions and get support when they need it, especially when people are working from home. This has been very helpful because it provides another forum to ask questions post-pupillage.

What is your practice like now?

My practice is primarily a mix of property, commercial, insolvency and company work. There is a lot of variety and I have noticed that the types of cases I am instructed in are progressing quickly in terms of complexity. I have also recently been instructed in a private client (wills and probate) matter and a Court of Protection matter.

Within 6 months of becoming a tenant, I appeared in the Court of Appeal as a junior with one of the silks in Chambers, which was exciting, and provided me with some early exposure to the appellate courts.

I also did a secondment with a solicitors firm based in the West End, in their Tier-1 ranked property litigation department. This was a super experience because it helped me to learn about how law firms function, and I built meaningful connections with a lot of solicitors in that department, who have instructed me as Counsel on their cases since.

I am in Court every week, on average perhaps 2 to 3 times. I have had one week with five hearings, which was the most I have had! When I am not in court, I do written work such as opinions and drafting. My practice feels busy and varied. I like to have a structured week, and my average working day varies but is probably from about 9 until 6. The flexibility and work life balance as a junior barrister has been great. The clerks are supportive in terms of finding the balance that works for you.

In the future, I am looking forward to taking on bigger cases and deepening my knowledge of the areas I practice in.

What is the culture of chambers?

My colleagues are friendly, supportive and approachable. There is no stuffiness at Selborne, and it feels like a modern, welcoming and vibrant place to work. As mentioned above, we have a Chambers lunch each month, and plenty of other opportunity for work events, such as an annual quiz for charity and networking events at a variety of venues in London (a recent one was ping pong at Bounce). Chambers puts on a summer party, and an annual Chambers dinner in the winter, which are lovely opportunities to catch up with everyone.

The clerks are one of Selborne’s greatest assets, and are very supportive and encouraging. We have yearly practice meetings to discuss our progress, and the relationship between the barristers and clerks feels like a very equal one. Our support staff and marketing team are excellent, and often encourage us to take up new marketing and practice development opportunities. For example, this year I gave my first seminar with chambers.

This year, Selborne has participated in a weekly netball league, with everyone from silks to junior clerks playing for our team. A highlight for me was doing a charity London-to-Brighton cycle ride with Chambers, which was very fun and which I will be doing this year too.

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

In terms of preparing for pupillage applications and getting things on your CV, my top tip would be to make the most of all the opportunities which are out there and to do a variety of law-related activities, as well as other activities you are interested in. As well as doing mini-pupillages, I volunteered at Advocate which was a very valuable experience and provided a realistic snapshot of life at the bar.

I had two mentors whilst I was preparing my pupillage applications — one from the Lincoln’s Inn mentoring scheme and one for a scheme for underrepresented groups at the commercial bar. I would really recommend applying to mentoring schemes, so you can get an insight into the areas of law you are interested in, can get advice on your written pupillage applications, and to give you a confidence boost.

In terms of writing your pupillage form and doing interviews, my biggest tip would be to really think about all of the experiences you have had in the past and things you have done which illustrate your ability to be a good barrister. For example, at my interviews at Selborne, my interviewers were interested in the extra-curriculars I had done and my work on my year abroad, as well as my legal experience.

Selborne will be looking for people who are analytical and excel academically, and I found it very helpful to exploit opportunities for mock interviews (such as those offered by your Inn and by Bar Course providers), to practice doing the types of problem questions you may get at interview.