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All the difference when it comes to getting pupillage... says Emma Fielding
After speaking with various organisations, universities and Inns of Court about their mentoring schemes and quizzing dozens of mentors and mentees about their experiences, it is clear to me that the mentor-mentee relationship can make all the difference when it comes to securing pupillage. While a mentor’s help in drafting pupillage applications and offering mock interviews is instrumental, their guidance can go far beyond these practicalities. A mentor can also provide emotional support and motivation, especially in the face of rejection in what is a brutally competitive process.
I credit my mentors with helping me get to where I am today. As a career changer, it was invaluable to discover more about the profession, which can often seem mysterious and inaccessible as an outsider. I acquired my first mentors early on while I was undertaking the BPTC, who I met when working as a paralegal. I have also been assigned mentors through the University of Law and Gray’s Inn. Just knowing that I can pick up the phone or send a message when I need them has made a huge difference to my journey to pupillage.
It is no surprise, perhaps, that the mentors with whom I have the greatest bond are women. During my research for this article, it became clear to me that mentoring schemes have emerged as a way of addressing the diversity issues at the Bar and to support underrepresented groups. This does not mean that if you are not from this background you cannot access a mentor, as many programmes are open to all. However, it seems right that if you are, for example, a woman wanting to break into commercial law, a person of colour or someone from a disadvantaged background, that you should be offered this extra support to start to address the imbalance at the Bar.
Interspersed in this article are accounts from mentors and mentees; the response to my enquiries was overwhelming and I could not include everyone. What struck me is how much the mentors benefit and find the experience of supporting the next generous of the Bar incredibly rewarding.
A mentor makes a huge difference. I was the first in my family to pursue a career in law so I know very well that not everyone is fortunate enough to have connections to the Bar when they start their pupillage journey. In my view, that can make the process all the more daunting. Mentoring schemes also give people that aren’t from a traditional legal background a chance to connect and have a helping hand from those that have been right where they are, which is invaluable in my opinion. – Helen Douglass, pupil barrister with the Crown Prosecution Service (YBM mentor)
Assistance with the pupillage application process is a key area; this could include advice on which set to apply to, reviewing a paper application, offering mock interviews with feedback and pointers on how a mentee can develop their CV. Mentors also provide strategic support and a frank insight into different areas of law, sometimes including the opportunity to shadow them or other members of chambers in court.
Initially, my mentor asked me to send across my CV and then we met for a coffee where she gave me lots of feedback (tore it apart) which was fantastic. It was the first time I began to really think about the type of barrister I intended to be and I completely reconfigured my CV and sent it back to her for more feedback. Since that time, my mentor has been a consistent source of support, encouragement and advice and is always on hand to proof read my work, offer advice and tell me about opportunities that I should apply for. I cannot thank her enough. – Donna Longcroft, pupil barrister at 2 Dr Johnson’s Building (University of Law mentee)
There are a number of different ways to be matched with a mentor at the Bar, whether that is through your university, Bar school, Inn of Court or various organisations.
Check with your university/Bar school careers service whether they run a mentoring scheme. Many offer opportunities or can refer you on to other organisations.
Spending time around those about to join the profession brings my love for this career to the forefront of my practice. Their enthusiasm is contagious and their courage and commitment rubs off on you. I have been extremely lucky in two of my mentees being awarded pupillage (so far) and one made a tenant last year. I take so much pride in hearing from them, their success and experiences in pupillage interviews and now in practice. They know I will always be there for them, professionally and on a personal level for emotional support in this ever-challenging profession. – Emily Lauchlan, barrister at Foundry Chambers (University of Law mentor)
I am immensely proud of each and every one of the students I mentor currently: their commitment, enthusiasm and dedication is infectious and reminds me why this job is like no other. – Sophie Quinton-Carter, barrister at Red Lion Chambers (University of Law and University of Exeter mentor)
Every aspiring barrister will join one of the Inns of Court. Each Inn runs their own mentoring schemes for students looking to join the profession.
Gray’s accepts applications at any time and have already matched over 130 mentoring pairs this year so far. They tell me that their schemes are not prescriptive, they facilitate contact and let the mentor relationships grow organically, recognising that each member is going to require different things from a mentor.
I have always appreciated, and been struck by, the generosity and support I have experienced (and still do) from more senior members of the profession, judges, and colleagues in the course of my own career, and the journey towards it. It is by sharing knowledge more widely that the Bar can do the vital work of building on efforts to widen access to the profession to make sure that hard working and dedicated applicants from all backgrounds can pursue their aspirations for their future career. – Chris Barnes, barrister at 4PB (Gray’s Inn Mentor)
The Middle Temple mentoring programme is open to student members and those who have been called, but not yet secured pupillage. In 2021, everyone who applied got a mentor and they arranged 204 pairings.
Inner’s mentoring scheme aims to pair Bar students with barristers who can give advice and guidance on an impartial basis. They recently piloted protected characteristic and social-mobility matching, so if you are from an underrepresented group and you would like to receive support from a barrister from the same group, you can select this option on the application form.
Lincoln’s Inn offers a mentoring scheme which is open to all student members who are currently studying on the Bar course.
Organisations often run their own mentoring schemes, or are set up for the purpose of offering mentoring opportunities. These may be targeted towards certain unrepresented groups.
BTB aims to increase diversity at the Bar and support students from non-traditional backgrounds. Their mentoring scheme connects a pool of students with dedicated mentors with the aim to make the Bar more accessible for these underrepresented groups.
Mentoring is a two-way relationship: you learn just as much from your mentee as they learn from you. I cannot overstate the importance of having a mentor, someone who has signed up to champion you and to offer perspective, guidance and encouragement. Studies have shown that a good mentoring relationship enhances self-esteem and confidence, and that it provides a wider range of opportunities for career progression. – Victoria Wilson, Joint Head of Goldsmith Chambers (BTB mentor)
The Kalisher Trust aims to support students who would struggle to come to the Bar due to financial constraints or limited social mobility. Their scheme launched last year and offers all those who have an award or internship through the Trust a mentor.
I cannot put into words how helpful it has been to have mentors. The marshalling offered was, on several occasions, the first thing I was asked about in pupillage interviews. The experience that marshalling gave me made a tangible difference to my applications. – Anna Draper, future pupil barrister and former intern at the Sentencing Academy (Kalisher mentee)
WICL offers mentoring for their members, who must be currently working within the criminal justice system, for example as a paralegal. For non-members they offer an annual pupillage event which operates like speed dating and provides tips and advice for pupillage applications, which is always a popular and useful event for aspiring barristers.
YBM is a mentoring scheme for those applying for pupillage or scholarships. Uniquely their mentors have all recently been successful in their applications within the last two years. In the scheme’s first year, YBM managed to set up an impressive 200 mentoring pairs.
YBM describes the feedback from their mentees as incredible, with one mentee noting that it is not as restrictive as other programmes and remarking on the benefits of having a mentor close in age.
In my view, mentors are crucial not only to build up your network within the profession but also to de-mystify the profession. I think it shows to aspiring members of the profession that we are all normal people and always willing to help when and where we can.– Celine Kart, pupil barrister at Park Square Barristers (YBM and Middle Temple mentor)
Run by One Essex Court Chambers, this scheme is directed at students intending to apply for pupillage that academic year or the following one. They welcome all applicants who might benefit from a female mentor, particularly those from unrepresented groups, and match around 20 pairs each year.
Having a mentor gave me the direction and push to keep going, without which I would not have attained a pupillage. I found having a female mentor particularly encouraging and important, as the support I gained from my mentor came with understanding of my experiences and difficulties in pursuing the Bar. – Hannah Nielson, Bar course student (Women at the Commercial Bar mentee)
COMBAR also runs a mentoring scheme for underrepresented groups; this year, 22 commercial sets are participating and offering between them at least 250 mentoring places.
The above is certainly not an exhaustive list and mentors can be found in a variety of ways, even through a Twitter post! Above all, many people in this profession are willing to give up their time to support aspiring barristers, and mentors and mentees alike have a lot to gain from the process. Good luck in finding your perfect mentor.
Emma Fielding was called to the Bar in July 2021 and is currently a probationary tenant specialising in criminal law with 36 Crime.
After speaking with various organisations, universities and Inns of Court about their mentoring schemes and quizzing dozens of mentors and mentees about their experiences, it is clear to me that the mentor-mentee relationship can make all the difference when it comes to securing pupillage. While a mentor’s help in drafting pupillage applications and offering mock interviews is instrumental, their guidance can go far beyond these practicalities. A mentor can also provide emotional support and motivation, especially in the face of rejection in what is a brutally competitive process.
I credit my mentors with helping me get to where I am today. As a career changer, it was invaluable to discover more about the profession, which can often seem mysterious and inaccessible as an outsider. I acquired my first mentors early on while I was undertaking the BPTC, who I met when working as a paralegal. I have also been assigned mentors through the University of Law and Gray’s Inn. Just knowing that I can pick up the phone or send a message when I need them has made a huge difference to my journey to pupillage.
It is no surprise, perhaps, that the mentors with whom I have the greatest bond are women. During my research for this article, it became clear to me that mentoring schemes have emerged as a way of addressing the diversity issues at the Bar and to support underrepresented groups. This does not mean that if you are not from this background you cannot access a mentor, as many programmes are open to all. However, it seems right that if you are, for example, a woman wanting to break into commercial law, a person of colour or someone from a disadvantaged background, that you should be offered this extra support to start to address the imbalance at the Bar.
Interspersed in this article are accounts from mentors and mentees; the response to my enquiries was overwhelming and I could not include everyone. What struck me is how much the mentors benefit and find the experience of supporting the next generous of the Bar incredibly rewarding.
A mentor makes a huge difference. I was the first in my family to pursue a career in law so I know very well that not everyone is fortunate enough to have connections to the Bar when they start their pupillage journey. In my view, that can make the process all the more daunting. Mentoring schemes also give people that aren’t from a traditional legal background a chance to connect and have a helping hand from those that have been right where they are, which is invaluable in my opinion. – Helen Douglass, pupil barrister with the Crown Prosecution Service (YBM mentor)
Assistance with the pupillage application process is a key area; this could include advice on which set to apply to, reviewing a paper application, offering mock interviews with feedback and pointers on how a mentee can develop their CV. Mentors also provide strategic support and a frank insight into different areas of law, sometimes including the opportunity to shadow them or other members of chambers in court.
Initially, my mentor asked me to send across my CV and then we met for a coffee where she gave me lots of feedback (tore it apart) which was fantastic. It was the first time I began to really think about the type of barrister I intended to be and I completely reconfigured my CV and sent it back to her for more feedback. Since that time, my mentor has been a consistent source of support, encouragement and advice and is always on hand to proof read my work, offer advice and tell me about opportunities that I should apply for. I cannot thank her enough. – Donna Longcroft, pupil barrister at 2 Dr Johnson’s Building (University of Law mentee)
There are a number of different ways to be matched with a mentor at the Bar, whether that is through your university, Bar school, Inn of Court or various organisations.
Check with your university/Bar school careers service whether they run a mentoring scheme. Many offer opportunities or can refer you on to other organisations.
Spending time around those about to join the profession brings my love for this career to the forefront of my practice. Their enthusiasm is contagious and their courage and commitment rubs off on you. I have been extremely lucky in two of my mentees being awarded pupillage (so far) and one made a tenant last year. I take so much pride in hearing from them, their success and experiences in pupillage interviews and now in practice. They know I will always be there for them, professionally and on a personal level for emotional support in this ever-challenging profession. – Emily Lauchlan, barrister at Foundry Chambers (University of Law mentor)
I am immensely proud of each and every one of the students I mentor currently: their commitment, enthusiasm and dedication is infectious and reminds me why this job is like no other. – Sophie Quinton-Carter, barrister at Red Lion Chambers (University of Law and University of Exeter mentor)
Every aspiring barrister will join one of the Inns of Court. Each Inn runs their own mentoring schemes for students looking to join the profession.
Gray’s accepts applications at any time and have already matched over 130 mentoring pairs this year so far. They tell me that their schemes are not prescriptive, they facilitate contact and let the mentor relationships grow organically, recognising that each member is going to require different things from a mentor.
I have always appreciated, and been struck by, the generosity and support I have experienced (and still do) from more senior members of the profession, judges, and colleagues in the course of my own career, and the journey towards it. It is by sharing knowledge more widely that the Bar can do the vital work of building on efforts to widen access to the profession to make sure that hard working and dedicated applicants from all backgrounds can pursue their aspirations for their future career. – Chris Barnes, barrister at 4PB (Gray’s Inn Mentor)
The Middle Temple mentoring programme is open to student members and those who have been called, but not yet secured pupillage. In 2021, everyone who applied got a mentor and they arranged 204 pairings.
Inner’s mentoring scheme aims to pair Bar students with barristers who can give advice and guidance on an impartial basis. They recently piloted protected characteristic and social-mobility matching, so if you are from an underrepresented group and you would like to receive support from a barrister from the same group, you can select this option on the application form.
Lincoln’s Inn offers a mentoring scheme which is open to all student members who are currently studying on the Bar course.
Organisations often run their own mentoring schemes, or are set up for the purpose of offering mentoring opportunities. These may be targeted towards certain unrepresented groups.
BTB aims to increase diversity at the Bar and support students from non-traditional backgrounds. Their mentoring scheme connects a pool of students with dedicated mentors with the aim to make the Bar more accessible for these underrepresented groups.
Mentoring is a two-way relationship: you learn just as much from your mentee as they learn from you. I cannot overstate the importance of having a mentor, someone who has signed up to champion you and to offer perspective, guidance and encouragement. Studies have shown that a good mentoring relationship enhances self-esteem and confidence, and that it provides a wider range of opportunities for career progression. – Victoria Wilson, Joint Head of Goldsmith Chambers (BTB mentor)
The Kalisher Trust aims to support students who would struggle to come to the Bar due to financial constraints or limited social mobility. Their scheme launched last year and offers all those who have an award or internship through the Trust a mentor.
I cannot put into words how helpful it has been to have mentors. The marshalling offered was, on several occasions, the first thing I was asked about in pupillage interviews. The experience that marshalling gave me made a tangible difference to my applications. – Anna Draper, future pupil barrister and former intern at the Sentencing Academy (Kalisher mentee)
WICL offers mentoring for their members, who must be currently working within the criminal justice system, for example as a paralegal. For non-members they offer an annual pupillage event which operates like speed dating and provides tips and advice for pupillage applications, which is always a popular and useful event for aspiring barristers.
YBM is a mentoring scheme for those applying for pupillage or scholarships. Uniquely their mentors have all recently been successful in their applications within the last two years. In the scheme’s first year, YBM managed to set up an impressive 200 mentoring pairs.
YBM describes the feedback from their mentees as incredible, with one mentee noting that it is not as restrictive as other programmes and remarking on the benefits of having a mentor close in age.
In my view, mentors are crucial not only to build up your network within the profession but also to de-mystify the profession. I think it shows to aspiring members of the profession that we are all normal people and always willing to help when and where we can.– Celine Kart, pupil barrister at Park Square Barristers (YBM and Middle Temple mentor)
Run by One Essex Court Chambers, this scheme is directed at students intending to apply for pupillage that academic year or the following one. They welcome all applicants who might benefit from a female mentor, particularly those from unrepresented groups, and match around 20 pairs each year.
Having a mentor gave me the direction and push to keep going, without which I would not have attained a pupillage. I found having a female mentor particularly encouraging and important, as the support I gained from my mentor came with understanding of my experiences and difficulties in pursuing the Bar. – Hannah Nielson, Bar course student (Women at the Commercial Bar mentee)
COMBAR also runs a mentoring scheme for underrepresented groups; this year, 22 commercial sets are participating and offering between them at least 250 mentoring places.
The above is certainly not an exhaustive list and mentors can be found in a variety of ways, even through a Twitter post! Above all, many people in this profession are willing to give up their time to support aspiring barristers, and mentors and mentees alike have a lot to gain from the process. Good luck in finding your perfect mentor.
All the difference when it comes to getting pupillage... says Emma Fielding
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