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When it came to applying for pupillage I didn’t mind where I went, so long as I got one! Somewhat fortuitously I was offered pupillage at No 5 in Birmingham, and I have been a proud Midland Circuiteer since 2001.
The Circuits were previously referred to, somewhat dismissively, as the Provinces, as if we were somehow a backwater compared with the thrusting legal world of London. However, I soon discovered that we were anything but provincial.
The advantage of Circuit life is that pupils are taken on with a view to becoming tenants. There is no pupillage factory, and the Midland Circuit takes a keen interest in the training and development of its pupils. We hold Circuit pupillage advocacy courses, where all pupils are taught by local barristers and judges. It is a wonderful opportunity to get to know your fellow pupils, and is the start of a professional journey together. I am still very close friends with the Pupils from my 2001/02 training cohort.
Thereafter Circuit life offers greater opportunities to experience good quality work. It helps that there are simply fewer barristers, and thus there is more work to share around. I was in the Crown Court the first day on my feet, and undertaking Crown Court trials within six months.
Each Circuit has developed its own niche areas of practice and the Midland Circuit is very proud of specialist courts which are now well established outside of London, such as the Mercantile Court or the Administrative Court we have in Birmingham. These sit alongside the strong practices in the family, criminal and civil courts across the Circuit.
From a practical point of view there is less travelling. In crime, for example, we focus on our local courts. This also means that you get to know your fellow barristers – and judges – far more quickly. Be warned, though, it is easier to gain a reputation, good or bad, on Circuit simply because everyone knows one another.
The training does not end after pupillage. We then run training course for new practitioners, the vulnerable witness advocacy training course, and ongoing rape and serious sexual offending (RASSO) training.
Life isn’t all work, work, work! Once you are a member of the Midland Circuit you will be encouraged to attend our social events, whether it is the informal new pupil drinks, or the more formal Circuit ball, which is held at different venues across Circuit every year. These social events are a wonderful opportunity to meet not just your contemporaries, but also senior silks, and judges, in a more relaxed setting.
The Midlands is a diverse area and our Bar thankfully reflects that. We have barristers from all races, sexes and social background, and to ensure that progress is made we have a number of different committees working hard to promote diversity and inclusion. Our LGBT + Equality group proudly sends a large delegation to the Birmingham Pride event. Our Social Mobility group goes into local schools and universities to ensure that we attract the best talent, and the Women’s Forum regularly holds events with a range of speakers and topics. We also work closely with the Bar Council’s Race Working Group, supporting their initiatives and achievements.
On the Midland Circuit it doesn’t matter what university or school you went to. What matters is whether you are prepared to put the work in, and try your best in court. You are responsible for your own success or failure, which is why we have produced so many top KCs and judges. Sir Igor Judge, the former Lord Chief Justice was a proud Midlander, and Lady Chief Justice Carr was the Presiding Judge for our Circuit.
So, when you fill out those application forms, considering where you would like to go, as yourself, do you want to hold your destiny in your own hands? If the answer is Yes, then come to the Midlands. We welcome you with open arms.
Michelle Heeley KC was Leader of the Midland Circuit from 2021 to 2024. She is a silk at No5 Barrister’s Chambers. Michelle took silk in 2017, at the time the youngest criminal silk in the country. She became Leader of the Midland Circuit in October 2021. Michelle sits as a Recorder and holds a Serious Sexual Offences Certificate. She specialises in crime, criminal fraud and proceeds of crime, misconduct and compliance and regulatory law.
When it came to applying for pupillage I didn’t mind where I went, so long as I got one! Somewhat fortuitously I was offered pupillage at No 5 in Birmingham, and I have been a proud Midland Circuiteer since 2001.
The Circuits were previously referred to, somewhat dismissively, as the Provinces, as if we were somehow a backwater compared with the thrusting legal world of London. However, I soon discovered that we were anything but provincial.
The advantage of Circuit life is that pupils are taken on with a view to becoming tenants. There is no pupillage factory, and the Midland Circuit takes a keen interest in the training and development of its pupils. We hold Circuit pupillage advocacy courses, where all pupils are taught by local barristers and judges. It is a wonderful opportunity to get to know your fellow pupils, and is the start of a professional journey together. I am still very close friends with the Pupils from my 2001/02 training cohort.
Thereafter Circuit life offers greater opportunities to experience good quality work. It helps that there are simply fewer barristers, and thus there is more work to share around. I was in the Crown Court the first day on my feet, and undertaking Crown Court trials within six months.
Each Circuit has developed its own niche areas of practice and the Midland Circuit is very proud of specialist courts which are now well established outside of London, such as the Mercantile Court or the Administrative Court we have in Birmingham. These sit alongside the strong practices in the family, criminal and civil courts across the Circuit.
From a practical point of view there is less travelling. In crime, for example, we focus on our local courts. This also means that you get to know your fellow barristers – and judges – far more quickly. Be warned, though, it is easier to gain a reputation, good or bad, on Circuit simply because everyone knows one another.
The training does not end after pupillage. We then run training course for new practitioners, the vulnerable witness advocacy training course, and ongoing rape and serious sexual offending (RASSO) training.
Life isn’t all work, work, work! Once you are a member of the Midland Circuit you will be encouraged to attend our social events, whether it is the informal new pupil drinks, or the more formal Circuit ball, which is held at different venues across Circuit every year. These social events are a wonderful opportunity to meet not just your contemporaries, but also senior silks, and judges, in a more relaxed setting.
The Midlands is a diverse area and our Bar thankfully reflects that. We have barristers from all races, sexes and social background, and to ensure that progress is made we have a number of different committees working hard to promote diversity and inclusion. Our LGBT + Equality group proudly sends a large delegation to the Birmingham Pride event. Our Social Mobility group goes into local schools and universities to ensure that we attract the best talent, and the Women’s Forum regularly holds events with a range of speakers and topics. We also work closely with the Bar Council’s Race Working Group, supporting their initiatives and achievements.
On the Midland Circuit it doesn’t matter what university or school you went to. What matters is whether you are prepared to put the work in, and try your best in court. You are responsible for your own success or failure, which is why we have produced so many top KCs and judges. Sir Igor Judge, the former Lord Chief Justice was a proud Midlander, and Lady Chief Justice Carr was the Presiding Judge for our Circuit.
So, when you fill out those application forms, considering where you would like to go, as yourself, do you want to hold your destiny in your own hands? If the answer is Yes, then come to the Midlands. We welcome you with open arms.
The Chair of the Bar reports back
Clement Cowley, Partner at The Penny Group, explains how global events can influence the performance of pensions and ISAs, and why taking a long-term approach to investing is often the most effective strategy
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, discusses what family law professionals need to know about hallucinogens, from the main hallucinogenic drugs encountered in family proceedings, to their effects and the testing options available
Harmony Christian Ministries is the latest charity to benefit from a £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs via the company’s Giving Back initiative
By David Green
Mário Barroso, Head of R&D and Method Development at AlphaBiolabs, examines the forensic science underpinning hair drug testing, its evidential scope and limitations, and why it remains the gold standard for evidencing patterns of drug use in family proceedings
Developing a tech start-up demands a different definition of excellence to the Bar, says Saara Idelbi. The co-creator of Advocatr on entrepreneurship, AI advocacy training, and matching the thrill of a killer cross-examination
At the start of her term, Chair of the Bar 2026 Kirsty Brimelow KC set out a series of priorities for the year ahead. One of those priorities was children in the justice system
As the world becomes more digital, Barbara Vinagre Mota examines international research into the mental health consequences of judges’ exposure to graphic and immersive evidence, highlighting the importance of support systems
Reviewed by Daniel Barnett
James McNeill Whistler at Tate Britain until 27 September Rothko in Florence at Palazzo Strozzi until 23 August Reviewed by Stephen Cragg KC
