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For those fortunate enough to receive pupillage offers, 9 May undoubtedly brings a sense of relief and elation. For those returning to the Pupillage Gateway for another round of applications, the perennial question remains: how do I stand out from other applicants?
There is no single answer; however, in my own experience, the one aspect of my application which interviewers turned to time and time again was my case with the Free Representation Unit (FRU).
I was assigned my first FRU case in November 2023: a claim for unfair dismissal contrary to ss 94 and 98 of the Employments Rights Act 1996. I spent four months on the case culminating in a one-day hearing in the East London Employment Tribunal in January 2024. As my first tangible experience of litigation, this was key in demonstrating that I had the necessary skills to succeed in practice. These fell broadly into five categories:
Managing a case from start to finish requires organisation and efficiency – competencies frequently tested in pupillage applications. My FRU work provided numerous examples, including dealing with disclosure, legal research, organising conferences and managing settlement negotiations with opposing instructing solicitors. I was also working full-time as a paralegal and balancing both roles demonstrated my time management skills.
At FRU, managing client expectations is key; this requires having a strong understanding of your case so that you can distil complex legal jargon into an understandable format. I was even challenged by an interviewer on how I would describe the ‘range of reasonable responses’ test to a client.
My client’s first language was French, and his struggles with the use of technology proved particularly problematic when trying to download 100 entries from his Universal Credit account for the purposes of proving mitigation of loss. Each challenge, however, was a unique opportunity to demonstrate problem-solving skills.
As my first experience of advocacy at a live hearing, the Employment Tribunal was (to put it lightly) a daunting place. During the process of giving submissions and cross-examining two witnesses, I learnt about the importance of being thoroughly prepared and drafting persuasive submissions. I even referenced my opposing counsel when asked in interviews about examples of advocacy I admired.
During the hearing, the respondent introduced new and potentially damaging information about my client’s disciplinary history, providing a lesson on the importance of remaining calm under pressure.
After judgment, the case was picked up by national news outlets and I had to think critically about how best to advise my client on the pros and cons of giving a press interview. My client also offered me an unusual gift – a brass drummer figurine – which then required confronting the ethical dilemma of whether to accept it!
Although we did not receive the judgment we had hoped for, I was able to demonstrate in interviews what I had learnt and how I intended to implement those lessons moving forward.
For anyone considering volunteering with FRU, I cannot recommend it enough. I have no doubt that gaining pupillage would have been significantly harder without it. Working with FRU provides opportunities to demonstrate practical skills, real-life advocacy experience and, crucially, why you would be a successful pupil and tenant.
Lucy Stock completed the Bar course at the Inns of Court College of Advocacy. She starts pupillage with Temple Garden Chambers in October 2025.
For those fortunate enough to receive pupillage offers, 9 May undoubtedly brings a sense of relief and elation. For those returning to the Pupillage Gateway for another round of applications, the perennial question remains: how do I stand out from other applicants?
There is no single answer; however, in my own experience, the one aspect of my application which interviewers turned to time and time again was my case with the Free Representation Unit (FRU).
I was assigned my first FRU case in November 2023: a claim for unfair dismissal contrary to ss 94 and 98 of the Employments Rights Act 1996. I spent four months on the case culminating in a one-day hearing in the East London Employment Tribunal in January 2024. As my first tangible experience of litigation, this was key in demonstrating that I had the necessary skills to succeed in practice. These fell broadly into five categories:
Managing a case from start to finish requires organisation and efficiency – competencies frequently tested in pupillage applications. My FRU work provided numerous examples, including dealing with disclosure, legal research, organising conferences and managing settlement negotiations with opposing instructing solicitors. I was also working full-time as a paralegal and balancing both roles demonstrated my time management skills.
At FRU, managing client expectations is key; this requires having a strong understanding of your case so that you can distil complex legal jargon into an understandable format. I was even challenged by an interviewer on how I would describe the ‘range of reasonable responses’ test to a client.
My client’s first language was French, and his struggles with the use of technology proved particularly problematic when trying to download 100 entries from his Universal Credit account for the purposes of proving mitigation of loss. Each challenge, however, was a unique opportunity to demonstrate problem-solving skills.
As my first experience of advocacy at a live hearing, the Employment Tribunal was (to put it lightly) a daunting place. During the process of giving submissions and cross-examining two witnesses, I learnt about the importance of being thoroughly prepared and drafting persuasive submissions. I even referenced my opposing counsel when asked in interviews about examples of advocacy I admired.
During the hearing, the respondent introduced new and potentially damaging information about my client’s disciplinary history, providing a lesson on the importance of remaining calm under pressure.
After judgment, the case was picked up by national news outlets and I had to think critically about how best to advise my client on the pros and cons of giving a press interview. My client also offered me an unusual gift – a brass drummer figurine – which then required confronting the ethical dilemma of whether to accept it!
Although we did not receive the judgment we had hoped for, I was able to demonstrate in interviews what I had learnt and how I intended to implement those lessons moving forward.
For anyone considering volunteering with FRU, I cannot recommend it enough. I have no doubt that gaining pupillage would have been significantly harder without it. Working with FRU provides opportunities to demonstrate practical skills, real-life advocacy experience and, crucially, why you would be a successful pupil and tenant.
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