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A guide to pupillage on the North Eastern Circuit. By Jason Pitter KC
It’s far from grim up North! In fact, the opposite is true. So much of that is wrapped up in where our Circuit (and I anticipate the others too) are headed.
The future then, and what it promises, will be my focus but it is grounded in where Circuit is now. But I can’t do that without touching briefly on the history.
While it is many years ago now, I always wanted to head back ‘home’ to Leeds having spent four years studying and living in London. The lure away from the so called ‘bright lights’ was too great for me. Why? Firstly, I thought that someone with my non-traditional background might be better suited to being in an environment that I was familiar with. In addition, it was apparent to me that the quality of life would be better on Circuit (prescient now given the cost of living and funding issues). There was also the fact that securing pupillage, if fortunate enough, outside of London meant that I would stand a better chance of getting a tenancy if I completed my pupillage on the basis that pupils on our Circuit are taken with a view to tenancy. It removed a significant part of the stress of pupillage itself; what happens at the end. There was the opportunity to be able to develop by being exposed to more and better-quality work during pupillage and at earlier stages in my career. I suppose, because there are fewer mouths to feed.
I go through all of that because I know that those very things remain, if not more so than ever before. It is allied with Circuit’s reputation and diversity of work increasing both nationally and internationally. We don’t view ourselves now, if we ever did, as being the poor relation to a London-based practice. You only need to spend a brief moment reading the chambers and business directories (or even the national news) to see how Circuit life and practice is thriving; driven by some of the finest advocates in the country. Whether that is our work on some of the most high-profile criminal, civil and family cases, or our work in the most significant public inquiries and major professional misconduct litigation. It is does not stop there. There is, of course, a developed commercial, business and property Bar reflective of the standing of the region in the commercial sector and working closely with that community. It is thriving! It is allied with our developing relationships with the Government Legal Department, Crown Prosecution Service and professional regulatory bodies. The opportunities to develop and thrive match those in London.
Developing in that way means that we have developed our own advanced programme of education, support and in particular for our new practitioners. That includes our own Diversity Outreach Officers, Women’s Forum, Wellbeing Programme alongside all of the local Specialist Bar Associations. They are the features which make our Circuit very different from the one I joined all those years ago where I was the first Black pupil on Circuit. The issues that arose for me then are for another time. For now, the importance is how things have and continue to progress and change. I am now the Leader of a Circuit of 1,000 or so, which has developed over recent years to be a diverse, cohesive and supportive place interacting with our wider community (we are big on that!). That reflects how we see ourselves – a supportive community.
Don’t take my word for it. Read on to find out what those who most recently were in your position, our recent joiners, say:
‘I have been afforded multiple opportunities to work on my advocacy skills and the chance to network with other legal professionals.’
‘I could not have hoped for a more welcoming, supportive, and inclusive Circuit to undertake pupillage.’
‘The main benefits of undertaking pupillage on circuit have been the social life and the educational opportunities. Circuit has a collegiate, tight-knit, and welcoming atmosphere.’
‘Being state-school educated and from a working-class background, I wanted to be on a progressive Circuit.’
‘The main benefit I found of doing pupillage on the North Eastern Circuit is that our Circuit has created an environment of support and cooperation.’
Need I say more!
Jason Pitter KC, Leader of the North Eastern Circuit 2023-25. He is a silk at New Court Park.
It’s far from grim up North! In fact, the opposite is true. So much of that is wrapped up in where our Circuit (and I anticipate the others too) are headed.
The future then, and what it promises, will be my focus but it is grounded in where Circuit is now. But I can’t do that without touching briefly on the history.
While it is many years ago now, I always wanted to head back ‘home’ to Leeds having spent four years studying and living in London. The lure away from the so called ‘bright lights’ was too great for me. Why? Firstly, I thought that someone with my non-traditional background might be better suited to being in an environment that I was familiar with. In addition, it was apparent to me that the quality of life would be better on Circuit (prescient now given the cost of living and funding issues). There was also the fact that securing pupillage, if fortunate enough, outside of London meant that I would stand a better chance of getting a tenancy if I completed my pupillage on the basis that pupils on our Circuit are taken with a view to tenancy. It removed a significant part of the stress of pupillage itself; what happens at the end. There was the opportunity to be able to develop by being exposed to more and better-quality work during pupillage and at earlier stages in my career. I suppose, because there are fewer mouths to feed.
I go through all of that because I know that those very things remain, if not more so than ever before. It is allied with Circuit’s reputation and diversity of work increasing both nationally and internationally. We don’t view ourselves now, if we ever did, as being the poor relation to a London-based practice. You only need to spend a brief moment reading the chambers and business directories (or even the national news) to see how Circuit life and practice is thriving; driven by some of the finest advocates in the country. Whether that is our work on some of the most high-profile criminal, civil and family cases, or our work in the most significant public inquiries and major professional misconduct litigation. It is does not stop there. There is, of course, a developed commercial, business and property Bar reflective of the standing of the region in the commercial sector and working closely with that community. It is thriving! It is allied with our developing relationships with the Government Legal Department, Crown Prosecution Service and professional regulatory bodies. The opportunities to develop and thrive match those in London.
Developing in that way means that we have developed our own advanced programme of education, support and in particular for our new practitioners. That includes our own Diversity Outreach Officers, Women’s Forum, Wellbeing Programme alongside all of the local Specialist Bar Associations. They are the features which make our Circuit very different from the one I joined all those years ago where I was the first Black pupil on Circuit. The issues that arose for me then are for another time. For now, the importance is how things have and continue to progress and change. I am now the Leader of a Circuit of 1,000 or so, which has developed over recent years to be a diverse, cohesive and supportive place interacting with our wider community (we are big on that!). That reflects how we see ourselves – a supportive community.
Don’t take my word for it. Read on to find out what those who most recently were in your position, our recent joiners, say:
‘I have been afforded multiple opportunities to work on my advocacy skills and the chance to network with other legal professionals.’
‘I could not have hoped for a more welcoming, supportive, and inclusive Circuit to undertake pupillage.’
‘The main benefits of undertaking pupillage on circuit have been the social life and the educational opportunities. Circuit has a collegiate, tight-knit, and welcoming atmosphere.’
‘Being state-school educated and from a working-class background, I wanted to be on a progressive Circuit.’
‘The main benefit I found of doing pupillage on the North Eastern Circuit is that our Circuit has created an environment of support and cooperation.’
Need I say more!
A guide to pupillage on the North Eastern Circuit. By Jason Pitter KC
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