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Don’t overlook the exciting pupillage opportunities at the employed Bar, says Samantha Paxman. So, where to find them, what to expect and how to apply?
Employed pupillages are traditionally less visible to those on the pursuit for pupillage, but the legal profession is evolving and there is now true recognition of the high-level work and contribution that is made by those at the employed Bar.
During my time at Bar school in 2010, the focus was predominantly on chambers, leaving me with little knowledge about the employed Bar until I began exploring other prospects. In my third year of applying for pupillage, I saw an advert for pupillage at Browne Jacobson and was drawn to the idea of trying something a little different. The firm’s reputation and areas of expertise matched my own career aspirations, and I saw a real opportunity for growth within what was, at the time, a relatively small team. My application felt like a bit of a ‘punt’ at the time but has, in fact, been one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Opportunities at the employed Bar are varied and increasing. As a result, there are a range of pupillage opportunities at the employed Bar, from the public sector, such as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Government Legal Department and professional regulators (e.g. The Nursing and Midwifery Council), to private practice law firms, local authorities and armed forces. The Bar Council’s 2023 report Life at the Employed Bar found that just over half of employed barristers work in the public sector and nearly a quarter work in legal firms. Such organisations offer exciting opportunities to work on big cases impacting many of society’s biggest issues from an early stage in your career. A common myth is that employed pupils are not in court, but this couldn’t be further from the truth for our team.
Employed pupillages can be as broad as their counterparts in chambers; you could be solely prosecuting for the CPS or a national professional regulator, or working in a law firm with a range of practice areas following an in-house chambers model. Some employers will also offer opportunities for secondment or shadowing external counsel.
It is worth considering the structure of the pupillage and the size of the team that you will be working with. As only the second in-house pupil in my firm in 2013, the pool of barristers for me to shadow was close-knit, allowing me to get to know their practices in great detail. My experience was still rich and varied and I arranged to shadow external barristers, which allowed me to progress into new practice areas not undertaken by others in the in-house team. The position for our pupils now is very different, with 14 barristers covering a range of practice areas across all of our English and Welsh offices, they have exposure to shadowing opportunities from a range of barristers at different stages of their career, alongside a bespoke relationship with their pupil supervisor.
Employed barristers often have more hands-on engagement with case preparation, meaning pupils develop a wider skill set in relation to the totality of the litigation process.
Furthermore, a pupillage within a law firm or public sector legal team allows pupils to integrate with the wider legal profession and can provide opportunities to align with other trainees. This was something that I found incredibly valuable as a pupil: I was able to connect and establish strong bonds with our trainee solicitors from the outset; we have continued to develop alongside each other ever since, providing mutual benefits to our own careers and the wider firm.
Applications for employed pupillages are advertised on the Pupillage Gateway and follow the same timeline as self-employed pupillage applications. Any pupil (employed or self-employed) is required to demonstrate the same competencies to be endorsed and achieve a full practising certificate. These will be the competencies that employers will be looking to assess during pupillage interview rounds, just like in chambers. Competencies such as advocacy, communication, application of the law and commitment are all core parts of the interview assessment for pupillage at our firm. Employers will be looking for candidates who can demonstrate their flair for advocacy, attention to detail, and ability to communicate effectively in different scenarios, but also show a commitment to the employed Bar and the particular employer. Awareness of the organisation’s wider commercial interests and ethos, and the ability to work as part of a team will be vital too; this is one of the biggest differences with the self-employed Bar.
The most obvious advantage of the employed Bar is the security and stability that it offers, with a guaranteed salary often alongside paid travel and practising expenses, employment benefits, such as paid sick leave, parental leave, pension contributions and a benefits package. Most employers recruit pupils with a view to investing in their success, meaning that there is no ‘competition for tenancy’, and will allow flexible working and a higher degree of individual control over one’s diary.
Beyond this security and stability is the potential to be part of a growing group of innovative barristers who are broadening the conventional practice model. I have continued my career at the firm and employed Bar for 12 years due to the exposure to high-quality, stretching work from the earliest opportunity, absent the competition brought from a larger chambers model. Alongside this have been recognised career progression opportunities; I made partner seven years after completing pupillage and have been given the space and resources to develop my own sub-team in a new specialist area for the firm.
A further advantage of the employed Bar is the team ethos that comes with it. I can only really speak for my team here, but while we stand alone in representing our client in court, we are truly part of a team. This means formal supervision is built into our practice and informal mentoring is always available. There is always someone on the end of the phone if you need support.
Maintaining links with the wider Bar through Inns of Court or Circuit events was more challenging for me, but happily the integration of the employed Bar has dramatically improved in the last decade. Our pupils are now regularly included in Circuit pupil groups and events, we have barristers who act as advocacy trainers on Circuit and with their Inns, and barristers who sit on committees within their Inn and the Bar Council’s Young Barristers’ Committee.
The Bar Council is actively promoting and educating on the employed Bar through various resources such as videos and blogs, alongside the Employed Bar Awards which spotlight the opportunities for a rewarding, fulfilling and sustainable career at the employed Bar.
Samantha Paxman is a partner and employed barrister at Browne Jacobson. Called in 2011 and renowned for her expertise in high-profile and complex hearings across her inquest, Court of Protection, and regulatory practice.
Employed pupillages are traditionally less visible to those on the pursuit for pupillage, but the legal profession is evolving and there is now true recognition of the high-level work and contribution that is made by those at the employed Bar.
During my time at Bar school in 2010, the focus was predominantly on chambers, leaving me with little knowledge about the employed Bar until I began exploring other prospects. In my third year of applying for pupillage, I saw an advert for pupillage at Browne Jacobson and was drawn to the idea of trying something a little different. The firm’s reputation and areas of expertise matched my own career aspirations, and I saw a real opportunity for growth within what was, at the time, a relatively small team. My application felt like a bit of a ‘punt’ at the time but has, in fact, been one of the best decisions I have ever made.
Opportunities at the employed Bar are varied and increasing. As a result, there are a range of pupillage opportunities at the employed Bar, from the public sector, such as the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), Government Legal Department and professional regulators (e.g. The Nursing and Midwifery Council), to private practice law firms, local authorities and armed forces. The Bar Council’s 2023 report Life at the Employed Bar found that just over half of employed barristers work in the public sector and nearly a quarter work in legal firms. Such organisations offer exciting opportunities to work on big cases impacting many of society’s biggest issues from an early stage in your career. A common myth is that employed pupils are not in court, but this couldn’t be further from the truth for our team.
Employed pupillages can be as broad as their counterparts in chambers; you could be solely prosecuting for the CPS or a national professional regulator, or working in a law firm with a range of practice areas following an in-house chambers model. Some employers will also offer opportunities for secondment or shadowing external counsel.
It is worth considering the structure of the pupillage and the size of the team that you will be working with. As only the second in-house pupil in my firm in 2013, the pool of barristers for me to shadow was close-knit, allowing me to get to know their practices in great detail. My experience was still rich and varied and I arranged to shadow external barristers, which allowed me to progress into new practice areas not undertaken by others in the in-house team. The position for our pupils now is very different, with 14 barristers covering a range of practice areas across all of our English and Welsh offices, they have exposure to shadowing opportunities from a range of barristers at different stages of their career, alongside a bespoke relationship with their pupil supervisor.
Employed barristers often have more hands-on engagement with case preparation, meaning pupils develop a wider skill set in relation to the totality of the litigation process.
Furthermore, a pupillage within a law firm or public sector legal team allows pupils to integrate with the wider legal profession and can provide opportunities to align with other trainees. This was something that I found incredibly valuable as a pupil: I was able to connect and establish strong bonds with our trainee solicitors from the outset; we have continued to develop alongside each other ever since, providing mutual benefits to our own careers and the wider firm.
Applications for employed pupillages are advertised on the Pupillage Gateway and follow the same timeline as self-employed pupillage applications. Any pupil (employed or self-employed) is required to demonstrate the same competencies to be endorsed and achieve a full practising certificate. These will be the competencies that employers will be looking to assess during pupillage interview rounds, just like in chambers. Competencies such as advocacy, communication, application of the law and commitment are all core parts of the interview assessment for pupillage at our firm. Employers will be looking for candidates who can demonstrate their flair for advocacy, attention to detail, and ability to communicate effectively in different scenarios, but also show a commitment to the employed Bar and the particular employer. Awareness of the organisation’s wider commercial interests and ethos, and the ability to work as part of a team will be vital too; this is one of the biggest differences with the self-employed Bar.
The most obvious advantage of the employed Bar is the security and stability that it offers, with a guaranteed salary often alongside paid travel and practising expenses, employment benefits, such as paid sick leave, parental leave, pension contributions and a benefits package. Most employers recruit pupils with a view to investing in their success, meaning that there is no ‘competition for tenancy’, and will allow flexible working and a higher degree of individual control over one’s diary.
Beyond this security and stability is the potential to be part of a growing group of innovative barristers who are broadening the conventional practice model. I have continued my career at the firm and employed Bar for 12 years due to the exposure to high-quality, stretching work from the earliest opportunity, absent the competition brought from a larger chambers model. Alongside this have been recognised career progression opportunities; I made partner seven years after completing pupillage and have been given the space and resources to develop my own sub-team in a new specialist area for the firm.
A further advantage of the employed Bar is the team ethos that comes with it. I can only really speak for my team here, but while we stand alone in representing our client in court, we are truly part of a team. This means formal supervision is built into our practice and informal mentoring is always available. There is always someone on the end of the phone if you need support.
Maintaining links with the wider Bar through Inns of Court or Circuit events was more challenging for me, but happily the integration of the employed Bar has dramatically improved in the last decade. Our pupils are now regularly included in Circuit pupil groups and events, we have barristers who act as advocacy trainers on Circuit and with their Inns, and barristers who sit on committees within their Inn and the Bar Council’s Young Barristers’ Committee.
The Bar Council is actively promoting and educating on the employed Bar through various resources such as videos and blogs, alongside the Employed Bar Awards which spotlight the opportunities for a rewarding, fulfilling and sustainable career at the employed Bar.
Don’t overlook the exciting pupillage opportunities at the employed Bar, says Samantha Paxman. So, where to find them, what to expect and how to apply?
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