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Tips for cultivating greater wellbeing. By Claire Carroll
Tis the season; pupillage application season that is. Having engaged with the process on numerous occasions, I know the rigours of this time. While not securing pupillage was the bitterest of lemons, the lemonade is all the juicy lessons I learned along the way, including valuable wellbeing insights which I share below.
At the outset, though, it should of course be noted that wellbeing is not just the prerogative of aspiring barristers; the profession in general and educational institutions share this responsibility. To that end, in my view, a broader paradigm of success should replace the single-faceted pupillage-based careers narrative, course providers should proactively support all graduates to build vibrant careers with or without a pupillage and barristers should continue to reflect on how to recruit fairly and credibly. Recruitment should always be inclusive, professional, and relevant. Feedback should be respectful, and specific. Moving, then, to my wellbeing tips for this year’s candidates.
The sacrifice of wellbeing for ‘success’ is the ultimate paradox. Furthermore, if high performance is your goal, looking after your physical and mental health is key. So, self-care and fostering balance is neither indulgent nor peripheral to other goals – it is fundamental. Self-care can mean getting the basics (sleep, nutrition, exercise, rest, recreation and social connection) right but for some people, it can also be a mindset shift; valuing yourself and your wellbeing enough to prioritise it. During pupillage recruitment season, it is especially important to proactively manage workloads, master the ability to say a self-compassionate ‘no’ to non-essentials and to delegate if you can. On the topic of no, it’s also okay, if not beneficial, to delineate boundaries for your professional life. Consider not only time at your desk but how much mental space you attribute to your career. It’s okay to occasionally switch off. For more reflections on self-care, have a look at Self-care for the Real World by Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips (Abrams: 2018).
When facing a challenge, your network should buoy you up. Positive psychology says we all need relationships to feel happy; but they should be good relationships. Maintain your inner circle as a high-vibe tribe. Know the friends/coaches/mentors/tutors/communities who see the magic in you, understand the challenge ahead, and will encourage you. While social media can be erosive to wellbeing, this generally depends on context, mindset and intentionality. We can intend to use social media for the purpose of building a supportive community. Instagram, where many law students are enthusiastically sharing their climb, advice and inspiration, is a great example of online community-building in action.
A quest for personal empowerment first led me to law. I was 19, working as a waitress and feeling particularly hard done by one day when I had my ‘as God as my witness’ moment and decided to pursue law. Back then, I thought having a law degree meant becoming a strong, independent person. Of course, it was only a stepping stone. For me, the most challenging aspect of pursuing pupillage was that I became attached to binary outcomes outside my control. At times, I ended up where I didn’t want to be; disempowered. I know what it feels like to be fixated on the idea of being a barrister but it’s more empowering to conceptualise success in terms of flexible values, values like intellectual stimulation, contribution or justice. The all-or-nothing pressure to secure pupillage can be toxic and counterproductive. Make room for the idea that you can have a fulfilling career without a green light from a pupillage committee and you’ll be better placed to approach interviews in a grounded, confident way. It is also sensible to proactively engage with careers services on compelling alternatives to the Bar and/or positions prior to pupillage.
Passionate, perfectionistic individuals colliding with low odds of success and inconsistent recruitment practices is a recipe for wellbeing disaster. In all the noise (or response by silence) from professionals you admire, it’s easy to take rejections personally and to feel your worth is diminished in comparison to those with pupillage. However, recruitment is only ever a rough gauge of (commercial) worth and potential. So, when the rejections are coming thick and fast and the feedback is punching low and hard, try to remember – it actually doesn’t matter. Outcomes affect opportunities and we should all be responsive to feedback, but, the cheesy truth is we are all worthy and the task of authoring our actual contribution will be our own.
Pupillage candidates strive to improve themselves and the view that pupillage is attainable if you just work hard enough is very popular. However, positivity becomes toxic when it fails to acknowledge reality.
Reality Number One: there are too many excellent candidates applying for far too few opportunities. Recruiters are looking for a star in a sky full of stars (yes, I think Coldplay did write that song about the high calibre of aspiring barristers).
Reality Number Two: Bar Standards Board research previously found that ethnicity and socio-economic status were predictive of pupillage attainment (see Exploring Differential Attainment at BPTC and Pupillage, Bar Standards Board). Needless to say, this is highly problematic. The possibility remains that the path to the Bar is more likely to play out as a steep climb for some more than others (see also Pupillage Gateway Report 2022, Bar Council).
Caveat: I do not wish to discourage anyone and I do not condone barriers to the legal profession. However, to the extent that systemic failures influence a situation, positivity and the attending rhetoric of personal responsibility to just do better can be toxic.
For high performers, the experience of setbacks or failure can seem like an ice bath; a completely unnecessary, sadistic shock to the system. However, just like cold therapy, a modest dose of failure now and again actually makes us stronger. Failure is not only universal, and transient, it is a rich learning experience. In Failosophy: a Handbook for When Things go Wrong (Fourth Estate: 2020), Elizabeth Day highlights the distinction between pain and suffering. Pain, we cannot control but whether to suffer or not is our decision. To avoid suffering in setbacks, be careful about the meaning you attribute to them. Learn to see setbacks as a normal part of success-building and focus on opportunities for growth and insight. This could mean reframing rejections or bad experiences as contributions to your bank of information.
In closing, I hope this pupillage season treats you well. By well, I mean I hope you can maintain that feel-good factor in your life because life is precious. I hope you continue to cherish the passion you have for law. If you face setbacks, I hope you can cultivate perspective by a strong appreciation of your uniqueness, your worth and a compelling vision for your life; one that helps you to see an expanse of opportunities, not just those on the Gateway. Remember, no matter what happens, life has a way of working out.
Exploring Differential Attainment at BPTC and Pupillage, Bar Standards Board
Pupillage Gateway Report 2022, Bar Council
Self-care for the Real World, Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips (Abrams: 2018)
Failosophy: a Handbook for When Things go Wrong, Elizabeth Day (Fourth Estate: 2020)
Since her call to the Bar, Claire Caroll has worked as a homelessness prevention advocate, and as a legal researcher in government and academic contexts. At the time of writing, Claire is self-employed. Claire writes in her personal capacity.
Tis the season; pupillage application season that is. Having engaged with the process on numerous occasions, I know the rigours of this time. While not securing pupillage was the bitterest of lemons, the lemonade is all the juicy lessons I learned along the way, including valuable wellbeing insights which I share below.
At the outset, though, it should of course be noted that wellbeing is not just the prerogative of aspiring barristers; the profession in general and educational institutions share this responsibility. To that end, in my view, a broader paradigm of success should replace the single-faceted pupillage-based careers narrative, course providers should proactively support all graduates to build vibrant careers with or without a pupillage and barristers should continue to reflect on how to recruit fairly and credibly. Recruitment should always be inclusive, professional, and relevant. Feedback should be respectful, and specific. Moving, then, to my wellbeing tips for this year’s candidates.
The sacrifice of wellbeing for ‘success’ is the ultimate paradox. Furthermore, if high performance is your goal, looking after your physical and mental health is key. So, self-care and fostering balance is neither indulgent nor peripheral to other goals – it is fundamental. Self-care can mean getting the basics (sleep, nutrition, exercise, rest, recreation and social connection) right but for some people, it can also be a mindset shift; valuing yourself and your wellbeing enough to prioritise it. During pupillage recruitment season, it is especially important to proactively manage workloads, master the ability to say a self-compassionate ‘no’ to non-essentials and to delegate if you can. On the topic of no, it’s also okay, if not beneficial, to delineate boundaries for your professional life. Consider not only time at your desk but how much mental space you attribute to your career. It’s okay to occasionally switch off. For more reflections on self-care, have a look at Self-care for the Real World by Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips (Abrams: 2018).
When facing a challenge, your network should buoy you up. Positive psychology says we all need relationships to feel happy; but they should be good relationships. Maintain your inner circle as a high-vibe tribe. Know the friends/coaches/mentors/tutors/communities who see the magic in you, understand the challenge ahead, and will encourage you. While social media can be erosive to wellbeing, this generally depends on context, mindset and intentionality. We can intend to use social media for the purpose of building a supportive community. Instagram, where many law students are enthusiastically sharing their climb, advice and inspiration, is a great example of online community-building in action.
A quest for personal empowerment first led me to law. I was 19, working as a waitress and feeling particularly hard done by one day when I had my ‘as God as my witness’ moment and decided to pursue law. Back then, I thought having a law degree meant becoming a strong, independent person. Of course, it was only a stepping stone. For me, the most challenging aspect of pursuing pupillage was that I became attached to binary outcomes outside my control. At times, I ended up where I didn’t want to be; disempowered. I know what it feels like to be fixated on the idea of being a barrister but it’s more empowering to conceptualise success in terms of flexible values, values like intellectual stimulation, contribution or justice. The all-or-nothing pressure to secure pupillage can be toxic and counterproductive. Make room for the idea that you can have a fulfilling career without a green light from a pupillage committee and you’ll be better placed to approach interviews in a grounded, confident way. It is also sensible to proactively engage with careers services on compelling alternatives to the Bar and/or positions prior to pupillage.
Passionate, perfectionistic individuals colliding with low odds of success and inconsistent recruitment practices is a recipe for wellbeing disaster. In all the noise (or response by silence) from professionals you admire, it’s easy to take rejections personally and to feel your worth is diminished in comparison to those with pupillage. However, recruitment is only ever a rough gauge of (commercial) worth and potential. So, when the rejections are coming thick and fast and the feedback is punching low and hard, try to remember – it actually doesn’t matter. Outcomes affect opportunities and we should all be responsive to feedback, but, the cheesy truth is we are all worthy and the task of authoring our actual contribution will be our own.
Pupillage candidates strive to improve themselves and the view that pupillage is attainable if you just work hard enough is very popular. However, positivity becomes toxic when it fails to acknowledge reality.
Reality Number One: there are too many excellent candidates applying for far too few opportunities. Recruiters are looking for a star in a sky full of stars (yes, I think Coldplay did write that song about the high calibre of aspiring barristers).
Reality Number Two: Bar Standards Board research previously found that ethnicity and socio-economic status were predictive of pupillage attainment (see Exploring Differential Attainment at BPTC and Pupillage, Bar Standards Board). Needless to say, this is highly problematic. The possibility remains that the path to the Bar is more likely to play out as a steep climb for some more than others (see also Pupillage Gateway Report 2022, Bar Council).
Caveat: I do not wish to discourage anyone and I do not condone barriers to the legal profession. However, to the extent that systemic failures influence a situation, positivity and the attending rhetoric of personal responsibility to just do better can be toxic.
For high performers, the experience of setbacks or failure can seem like an ice bath; a completely unnecessary, sadistic shock to the system. However, just like cold therapy, a modest dose of failure now and again actually makes us stronger. Failure is not only universal, and transient, it is a rich learning experience. In Failosophy: a Handbook for When Things go Wrong (Fourth Estate: 2020), Elizabeth Day highlights the distinction between pain and suffering. Pain, we cannot control but whether to suffer or not is our decision. To avoid suffering in setbacks, be careful about the meaning you attribute to them. Learn to see setbacks as a normal part of success-building and focus on opportunities for growth and insight. This could mean reframing rejections or bad experiences as contributions to your bank of information.
In closing, I hope this pupillage season treats you well. By well, I mean I hope you can maintain that feel-good factor in your life because life is precious. I hope you continue to cherish the passion you have for law. If you face setbacks, I hope you can cultivate perspective by a strong appreciation of your uniqueness, your worth and a compelling vision for your life; one that helps you to see an expanse of opportunities, not just those on the Gateway. Remember, no matter what happens, life has a way of working out.
Exploring Differential Attainment at BPTC and Pupillage, Bar Standards Board
Pupillage Gateway Report 2022, Bar Council
Self-care for the Real World, Nadia Narain and Katia Narain Phillips (Abrams: 2018)
Failosophy: a Handbook for When Things go Wrong, Elizabeth Day (Fourth Estate: 2020)
Tips for cultivating greater wellbeing. By Claire Carroll
The Chair of the Bar reports back
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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
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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
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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
