Why do you want to be a barrister?

A fortuitous foot in the door

I had an unusual introduction to life at the Bar. I didn’t grow up dreaming of being a barrister. In sixth form, not quite sure what to do, I started thinking about studying law at university. However, I didn’t know any lawyers. My first legal work experience came about by chance. My dad was a policeman and had given evidence in a number of criminal trials. Ben Morris, a barrister practising in Liverpool, had both prosecuted and defended these cases, and had cross-examined my dad and his colleagues. Ben was known for being sharp but always respectful with witnesses.

During a half-term break dad took me to Liverpool Crown Court to sit in on some cases. Fortuitously, Ben was in court that day and stopped to chat. Upon hearing that I was considering law, he immediately offered to take me to court with him for the rest of the week. I remember that he made time to explain his cases to me and to answer my many questions, that he was eloquent without being pompous and he was very, very funny.

Those first few days in court watching Ben were an invaluable foot in the door and featured heavily in both my personal statement and university interview. Ben very sadly passed away from cancer in 2022. The many tributes to him spoke of his intellect, warmth and sense of fun. I’ve tried to pay forward his kindness by making time to talk to students at access events, taking mini-pupils and, more recently, supervising pupils in chambers.

Pupillage applications v reality

When thinking about my early years at the Bar, I dug out the pupillage applications I submitted in 2014. It was fascinating to look back at my 21-year-old self’s best guess at what being a barrister might involve. In most of the applications (there were many and of varying quality) I answered the question of ‘why do you want to be a barrister’ with earnest references to the ‘intellectual challenge of the career’ and ‘the unique level of responsibility’. More than a decade later, both of these things have proved to be true, but they are not the answer to ‘what do you enjoy most about being a barrister?’ In reality, I value two different things: the diversity of my work and the collegiality of life in chambers.

No two weeks are the same in this job and I’m always learning. I never know what’s going to cross my desk. Over the last eight years, my practice has been an array of weird and wonderful cases. Some days have been spent puzzling over the inner workings of a mainframe computer, others arguing about the return of a 17th century sword or, memorably, dealing with the curious incident of the paint that smelled like cat urine.

Building up a specialism

While my early practice covered a broad range of commercial work, over time I have built up a specialism in information technology and intellectual property. The majority of my work now has a technical element. This means that the start of a case often feels like learning a new language as I get to grips with a client’s business and a wealth of unfamiliar acronyms.

In 2021 I took a year away from full-time practice to study for an MSc in computing. I had no real coding experience and the learning curve on the course was incredibly steep. I’m still a million miles away from being a software engineer, but I now have a much better grasp of the technical concepts and logic that often underpin IT disputes. Understanding how systems are built helps me ask more useful questions of experts and clients, and to spot when something doesn’t quite add up or needs further explanation.

The technological landscape has changed dramatically in the last few years with the rapid development and adoption of AI, and it’s an exciting time to be a tech barrister. Having written about the possible effect of AI on law for some years, it’s very satisfying to be instructed on some of the first AI cases issued in the UK, and to be working out how the law applies to generative models and algorithmic analysis.

Collegiality in chambers

I’m very lucky to be at a genuinely friendly chambers. Last month I marched my pupil round chambers on the traditional introductory tour. Without exaggeration, everyone was happy to pause their work to offer words of welcome and advice.

I don’t think I fully appreciated the importance of collegiality in chambers until COVID, when the informal conversations that spark ideas or provide reassurance disappeared almost overnight. Our Friday ‘Skype pub’ gatherings were a valiant effort, but not quite the same as setting the world to rights outside Daly’s. Happily, we’re now back to being properly sociable. I’m clinging on to membership of the very active ‘Baby Juniors’ WhatsApp group, which is a reliable source of guidance, lunch plans and GIFs.

My top tips

To people aiming for a career at the Bar, I have the following advice:

• Don’t be afraid to show some personality in pupillage applications and at interview. I know from experience that if you’re asked a question about your hobbies, it’s most likely because the panel is genuinely interested in who might be joining them in chambers. Please don’t use this as an excuse to talk about your favourite recent judgments. We’d rather hear about your passion for sketch comedy/furniture restoration/paddleboarding.
• Be polite. Always. On paper and in person. No matter how bad a day you’re having or how nervous you might be feeling. To the person who shows you into the waiting room for a pupillage interview. To your opponent before court. A bad point will not be improved by bravado, and courtesy is remembered.
• Difficult cases, disappointments and tricky clients are inevitable. Invest time in your friends and family and make sure there is life outside of work. Treat time-off and exercise as being non-negotiable. Most importantly, and as Ben showed me at the very beginning of my career, keeping a sense of humour is key. It is the thing that will help you weather the tougher days. 

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