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If 2025 was not your year for getting a pupillage, keep going. Do not lose faith. Learn from and adapt to any constructive feedback you receive. Apply next year stronger and wiser. Eventually, I secured pupillage but the journey was far from easy despite having reserve offers at strong sets in previous rounds. I remember being asked questions like, ‘What do you do in your spare time?’ These kinds of questions are just as much about advocacy; a strong structure remains key. Using methods like STAR can be helpful. With each interview you have, the better your technique will become.
If you are reading this as a new or future pupil, congratulations. You have scaled a mountain that many told us we could not climb. If you have a visible or invisible difference, such as skin colour, disability, socio-economic, neurodivergence, your presence is not just an achievement. It is an act of change that will benefit you, the Bar and those following you.
Navigating this beautiful, traditional and often exclusionary profession requires more than talent. Strategy, networking, resilience, determination, tenacity, authenticity and community are all as necessary. Being part of lawyer networks can help you learn from others about what works for them.
The Bar is predominantly people-oriented, whether that be your supervisor, co-pupils, members of chambers or the Inns, lay clients, professional clients or judges; and everyone is different. For example, each chambers have a different outlook on interaction, and levels of formality. The first set I joined was more formal in written communication, and the second was more informal, and each approach is no reflection on the friendliness of the people in either group. If your life experience did not encounter the English Bar, this can be a steep learning curve. Understanding the culture of your chambers and acclimatising authentically can help your bid for tenancy.
Find your people. Pupillage and the Bar can be lonely and isolating, especially if you are different in some way. I was extremely fortunate to have supportive and friendly co-pupils and a good executive assistant who have become my close friends. There will be people at your chambers with similar experience to yours or who want to support you. There will be allies beyond the walls of your chambers, too. There is an array of professional networks usually assembled by practice area or social group. These networks remind you that your experience is valid and your presence has purpose.
You belong at the Bar, even if the buildings indicate otherwise. Many courtrooms, robing rooms and chambers are not physically accessible. I know this too well. I have provided oral submissions and cross-examined witnesses in courts, such as the Royal Courts of Justice, where the counsel’s row is only accessible by steps. This means that I am often to the side, lower down and away from the microphones. Judges are often helpful in reducing these difficulties and are willing to accommodate the situation. For you and your client, you must remain undeterred. This will not be the first time you have found yourself in a disadvantageous situation. You have the composure and the skills to overcome it.
There is a wider accessibility problem within the profession that needs to be addressed. There is still a sense that some of us are ‘trespassing’ on tradition, but the truth is the law serves everyone. The spaces that serve the law must evolve to reflect the notion that everyone is equal before the law. Our presence provides a reason for buildings to adapt. We are frequently in their buildings, unlike less regular chambers and court users. Again, our presence here is part of that change.
If you are facing a disadvantage or may face one in the future, asking for support to be implemented might help. If you are disabled, chambers will have to make reasonable adjustments. They must also make sure their practices do not unjustifiably discriminate against you if you have another protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, such as sex or religious belief. Even if you do not have a protected characteristic, an inclusive chambers can still help.
Requesting adjustments as soon as possible is best. This means you will have more time to implement your support, especially if you have not yet started pupillage. This will be particularly important if you are applying for Access to Work which is a government scheme offering financial support to help disabled people start or stay in work. The scheme can fund practical support, such as specialist equipment, transport, job coaching or support workers. However, severe delays are common, with applications and assessments often taking up to a year. Access to Work makes my career possible by funding my executive assistant, equipment and additional transport, and it may help you too.
You will have some idea of the support and adjustments from previous experience, but you will not have been a barrister before. Not being sure on what support you need is okay. There are services available to help assess what will be most beneficial. You may also be able to identify your needs through trial and error, for which your chambers should be supportive.
You do not need a tenancy, silk or judicial robes to drive change. I have seen pupils and junior tenants successfully shape policies in chambers, create inclusive recruitment drives, host workshops and challenge discrimination. I founded the Association of Disabled Lawyers well before my career at the Bar started. The need for greater visibility and support was apparent, especially following the findings of the Legally Disabled? report. I felt such a project needed a significant figure from the profession to lead it, but I was willing and able to accept such an undertaking. The Association and I have since supported most of the profession’s regulators, its firms and chambers, and its members in becoming more inclusive and have received awards for it. You can make a change too. If you see a problem, work to find a solution.
Even after all this dedication and effort, you may still not get tenancy on the first attempt. You will see articles and hear stories about how eminent KCs and senior barristers were rejected multiple times before securing a tenancy and how their careers ultimately unfolded. The article I am writing for you now is written at a time when I am applying for my third set, having not been offered tenancy twice. Rejection can erode your confidence. There are many potential reasons why you may be rejected. For example, you may need more time and feedback will help you improve. Equally, the reason could be unconscious bias, bad timing, financially led, bad luck or simply the wrong decision being made by the set. In any event, do not quit because others cannot yet see your value.
Your presence may challenge the idea that the Bar is a narrow corridor meant only for some to walk. That makes your journey harder but also more necessary.
Join the Bar Council’s free webinar on 4 November, 17:30-18:45 for insights and guidance on making your chambers accessible. Find out more and sign up here. See also the Bar Council’s Accessibility self-audit tool for chambers and Reasonable adjustments guide.
Daniel Holt is a barrister, Chair of the Association of Disabled Lawyers and an advocate for equity and inclusion in the legal profession. Daniel is Chair of the Middle Temple Disability Forum and a member of Middle Temple’s Diversity and Inclusion Committee.
If 2025 was not your year for getting a pupillage, keep going. Do not lose faith. Learn from and adapt to any constructive feedback you receive. Apply next year stronger and wiser. Eventually, I secured pupillage but the journey was far from easy despite having reserve offers at strong sets in previous rounds. I remember being asked questions like, ‘What do you do in your spare time?’ These kinds of questions are just as much about advocacy; a strong structure remains key. Using methods like STAR can be helpful. With each interview you have, the better your technique will become.
If you are reading this as a new or future pupil, congratulations. You have scaled a mountain that many told us we could not climb. If you have a visible or invisible difference, such as skin colour, disability, socio-economic, neurodivergence, your presence is not just an achievement. It is an act of change that will benefit you, the Bar and those following you.
Navigating this beautiful, traditional and often exclusionary profession requires more than talent. Strategy, networking, resilience, determination, tenacity, authenticity and community are all as necessary. Being part of lawyer networks can help you learn from others about what works for them.
The Bar is predominantly people-oriented, whether that be your supervisor, co-pupils, members of chambers or the Inns, lay clients, professional clients or judges; and everyone is different. For example, each chambers have a different outlook on interaction, and levels of formality. The first set I joined was more formal in written communication, and the second was more informal, and each approach is no reflection on the friendliness of the people in either group. If your life experience did not encounter the English Bar, this can be a steep learning curve. Understanding the culture of your chambers and acclimatising authentically can help your bid for tenancy.
Find your people. Pupillage and the Bar can be lonely and isolating, especially if you are different in some way. I was extremely fortunate to have supportive and friendly co-pupils and a good executive assistant who have become my close friends. There will be people at your chambers with similar experience to yours or who want to support you. There will be allies beyond the walls of your chambers, too. There is an array of professional networks usually assembled by practice area or social group. These networks remind you that your experience is valid and your presence has purpose.
You belong at the Bar, even if the buildings indicate otherwise. Many courtrooms, robing rooms and chambers are not physically accessible. I know this too well. I have provided oral submissions and cross-examined witnesses in courts, such as the Royal Courts of Justice, where the counsel’s row is only accessible by steps. This means that I am often to the side, lower down and away from the microphones. Judges are often helpful in reducing these difficulties and are willing to accommodate the situation. For you and your client, you must remain undeterred. This will not be the first time you have found yourself in a disadvantageous situation. You have the composure and the skills to overcome it.
There is a wider accessibility problem within the profession that needs to be addressed. There is still a sense that some of us are ‘trespassing’ on tradition, but the truth is the law serves everyone. The spaces that serve the law must evolve to reflect the notion that everyone is equal before the law. Our presence provides a reason for buildings to adapt. We are frequently in their buildings, unlike less regular chambers and court users. Again, our presence here is part of that change.
If you are facing a disadvantage or may face one in the future, asking for support to be implemented might help. If you are disabled, chambers will have to make reasonable adjustments. They must also make sure their practices do not unjustifiably discriminate against you if you have another protected characteristic under the Equality Act 2010, such as sex or religious belief. Even if you do not have a protected characteristic, an inclusive chambers can still help.
Requesting adjustments as soon as possible is best. This means you will have more time to implement your support, especially if you have not yet started pupillage. This will be particularly important if you are applying for Access to Work which is a government scheme offering financial support to help disabled people start or stay in work. The scheme can fund practical support, such as specialist equipment, transport, job coaching or support workers. However, severe delays are common, with applications and assessments often taking up to a year. Access to Work makes my career possible by funding my executive assistant, equipment and additional transport, and it may help you too.
You will have some idea of the support and adjustments from previous experience, but you will not have been a barrister before. Not being sure on what support you need is okay. There are services available to help assess what will be most beneficial. You may also be able to identify your needs through trial and error, for which your chambers should be supportive.
You do not need a tenancy, silk or judicial robes to drive change. I have seen pupils and junior tenants successfully shape policies in chambers, create inclusive recruitment drives, host workshops and challenge discrimination. I founded the Association of Disabled Lawyers well before my career at the Bar started. The need for greater visibility and support was apparent, especially following the findings of the Legally Disabled? report. I felt such a project needed a significant figure from the profession to lead it, but I was willing and able to accept such an undertaking. The Association and I have since supported most of the profession’s regulators, its firms and chambers, and its members in becoming more inclusive and have received awards for it. You can make a change too. If you see a problem, work to find a solution.
Even after all this dedication and effort, you may still not get tenancy on the first attempt. You will see articles and hear stories about how eminent KCs and senior barristers were rejected multiple times before securing a tenancy and how their careers ultimately unfolded. The article I am writing for you now is written at a time when I am applying for my third set, having not been offered tenancy twice. Rejection can erode your confidence. There are many potential reasons why you may be rejected. For example, you may need more time and feedback will help you improve. Equally, the reason could be unconscious bias, bad timing, financially led, bad luck or simply the wrong decision being made by the set. In any event, do not quit because others cannot yet see your value.
Your presence may challenge the idea that the Bar is a narrow corridor meant only for some to walk. That makes your journey harder but also more necessary.
Join the Bar Council’s free webinar on 4 November, 17:30-18:45 for insights and guidance on making your chambers accessible. Find out more and sign up here. See also the Bar Council’s Accessibility self-audit tool for chambers and Reasonable adjustments guide.
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