Pupils will work alongside their pupil supervisors and experience all aspects of their professional lives. The 12 month period is divided equally between three different pupil supervisors.

Our training programme is designed to ensure pupils develop the competencies set out in the BSB Professional Statement, Threshold Standard and Competencies.

Pupils can expect to read their pupil supervisor’s instructions and papers, research relevant law, attempt their own draft pleadings and opinions for discussion, and accompany their pupil supervisor to court hearings and conferences. 
After the completion of the first four months of pupillage, pupils are also expected to undertake written work for other members of Chambers as well as their pupil supervisor.

In their second six months, pupils are also able and expected to accept instructions to undertake work of their own.

In recent years our second-six pupils have been briefed to appear in a variety of courts and tribunals, including the High Court, Magistrates’ Court, County Court, public inquiries and various administrative tribunals.

Members of Chambers also provide a series of introductory seminars for our pupils during their first six months to familiarise the new pupils with the main areas of Chambers practice and the issues of law and practice that most commonly arise.

We also organise a number of formal advocacy and written exercises for our pupils during the course of the year, including training in the cross examination of expert witnesses (usually in partnership with expert witnesses from various external planning consultancies), and in the particular requirements of advocacy in the Administrative Court.

We look to recruit ambitious and able candidates with at least an upper second class degree (not necessarily in law).

The selection process has three main stages.  At the first stage, all candidates are considered by a minimum of three members on their paper applications to identify those who should be invited for interview.  We select candidates for first-round interview based on four main criteria: 

• academic achievement and intellectual ability, 
• advocacy experience and achievement, 
• suitability for and interest in our work, and 
• non-legal work, interests and life experience.  

A copy of the indicators used to guide the assessment of candidates against each criterion at the first stage is available here.

Those invited for the first-round of interviews are provided with a written problem question to consider. Candidates are then assessed against the following criteria, based on their performance in the interview: 

• Intellectual ability demonstrated in interview, other than exercise (max 10 points);
• Articulacy and cogency demonstrated in interview, other than exercise (max 10 points);
• Performance on planning problem (first round interview) and exercise (second round interview) (max 10 points (first round interview) and 20 points (second round interview);
• Suitability for and interest in FTB areas of work, as demonstrated in interview (max 10 points);
• Personal aptitude for career as an advocate (max 10 points).

Following the first-round interview, shortlisted candidates are invited to take part in a second interview. This also involves a written problem question, and further assessment against the same criteria based on performance in the second interview.

A decision is then taken as to which candidates should be offered a pupillage in Chambers.

Pupils are assessed throughout their time in Chambers and written reports are provided by each pupil supervisor for consideration by the Pupillage and Tenancy Committee.
These reports are discussed with the pupil as they are completed.

Factors relevant to the selection of individual new tenants will include:

• Intellectual ability
• Diligence
• Articulacy and cogency both oral and in writing
• Skill in personal relations particularly with future clients
• Overall performance during pupillage
   

Francis Taylor Building will accept applications for pupillage through the Pupillage Gateway for pupillage commencing in 2025.

Chambers is interested in candidates’ innate ability and we consider everybody on merit. As a Chambers, we are alive to the circumstances that can affect academic performance and opportunities to gain extra-curricular experience. Many candidates apply for pupillage who only recently discovered the Bar as a potential career. Others may have had caring responsibilities or challenging family circumstances during periods of study that affected their grades. These factors are considered when we review pupillage applications because many of these candidates could be excellent barristers, and FTB wants to recruit the best candidates. We therefore strongly encourage applicants to let Chambers know about any particular factors that may put their academic results and/or work experience into perspective.  

Chambers is a specialist set with a particular focus on planning, public, environmental and licensing law. While Chambers does not expect applicants to be familiar with its specialist areas of law prior to applying for pupillage, candidates wishing to develop an understanding of Chambers’ particular specialisms could consider:

• Attending Chambers’ online and/or in-person webinars or those of other sets practising in similar fields
• Attending planning and licensing committee meetings of local councils
• Attending planning inquiries or proceedings in the High Court and Court of Appeal involving questions of planning and environmental law
• Reading introductory practitioner texts, for example Chapter 1 of the Planning Encyclopaedia and A Practical Approach to Planning Law

These are some of the things that candidates can do, if they wish, to immerse themselves in our relevant areas of law, increase their commercial awareness, and get experience of our areas of practice. 

Chambers is pleased to be involved in initiatives aimed at increasing diversity. It participates in the Pegasus Access Scheme, and the Middle Temple outreach programme which are work experience programmes administered by the Inner and Middle Temple that aim to support those from diverse backgrounds considering a career at the Bar. In particular, Chambers has a partnership with the Sutton Trust, a well known and respected charity dedicated to championing social mobility through programmes, research and policy influence,  where we  work with 16-18 year olds from less advantaged backgrounds on their Pathways to Law programme. The aim of our involvement in this programme is to encourage participating students to give serious consideration to the Bar as a career option. Chambers is also a founding member of Bridging the Bar, a  charity dedicated to facilitating equality and diversity amongst applicants for the Bar. 

Chambers sponsors a number of academic prizes and a range of universities across England and Wales.

Members of chambers attended a broad range of universities to complete undergraduate degrees.

Chambers operates an equal opportunities policy and is committed to promoting and advancing diversity and equality. We do not discriminate on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, citizenship, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, political persuasion, disability, age or religion. 
We fully endorse the Bar Council’s Equality and Diversity Code.

Chambers makes reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates and encourages applications from groups which are underrepresented at the Bar.