But it shouldnt be beyond your wit to come up with a couple, just to keep the conversation flowing. Watch Rebecca, Shanthi, Max and Colm, all recent ULaw BPTC students with pupillage, under. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. Law-related interview questions are asked to get an understanding of your view on current laws and the challenges facing the legal profession. That way, you will have a better and deeper understanding of why and how the skills that the set says it is looking for (in their selection criteria) are applicable, and how you can prepare answers which meet those requirements. You should approach the interview process confidently. Use this guide to discover some of the pupillage interview questions you could face, and how to respond. Give yourself a pat on the back because it means you are doing something right. The juniors gave very thorough comments on one of my failed pupillage applications. If I were transported back and asked once again why I want to be a barrister, my answer would be simple: because I want to do something exciting with my life. Tip 5: You only need one good day. You might be asked about something specific to the type of work done by the chambers to which you are applying. Where one argument is going nowhere, pivot to a better one. Advocacy Panel: it is known as the advocacy panel because this set will favour peppering you with an advocacy . Saying something like"I want to come to you because you are a great Set and you do landlord and tenant work", just is not enough. Chambers also look for evidence of certain personal values such as integrity and self-assurance. Most experience of life, even if not obviously relevant to practice at the bar, is a learning experience, and could help the panel get to know you as a person. This is your opportunity to ask questions about how they cover the specific areas of law youre interested in as part of your pupillage, and to ask about the culture and the wider opportunities available to you. As part of your pupillage interview, you could be asked the following: Being a barrister often requires you to think on your feet and under pressure without support. Tip 6: If you aren't successful, don't be daunted because even amongst those who are called to interviews, the ratios of interviewees to places is huge. ), focuses on tips from juniors and more established practitioners. You could be asked questions like: This question is asked to assess where you get your knowledge of current affairs topics from and how you process that information in relation to the law. I don't think I'd feel this way if most pupillages didn't start a near 1.5 years after the interview. Forget clich and invention and speak plainly. Then some basic questions like "Where do you see yourself in 5 years". First rounds tend to be shorter in duration: you may be asked something based on your pupillage application (so make sure you know it inside out) and/or given a proposition to debate. They want you to give the right answer and to respond well to their questions. When you are thinking of examples, it is almost inevitable that you will gild the lily slightly. You will then forget everything you went through before. See our top tips on commercial pupillage . Nepotism and inherited privilege shouldnt have their place at the modern Bar, but they linger. This domain of this cookie is owned by Vimeo. But the same basic social rules apply in both circumstances make eye contact by looking into your webcam when answering questions and take note of everyones names so that you can speak to them individually throughout the different stages of the interview. This question is asked to assess how diplomatic you can be and argue a case sensitively and professionally without feeling conflicted. Now you need to prepare. The deadlines for mini-pupillage applications are the end of December and June each year. BTC graduate and aspiring barrister Kieran Alker recounts his frustrating experience and suggests a way to improve the process. The feedback will help you identify any gaps in an application. This will include looking at the feedback of other practitioners, the structure and development of your pupillage and the requirements of the Professional Statement. According to student feedback, the most common exercise is an advocacy test of some description, or a presentation. If there is a case coming up, go and see if you can sit in it. Read and reread your application form. What do you do, why and what approach do you take? In addition to pupillage questions, you may be asked to undertake practical exercises as part of your pupillage interview process. You are always better of taking a moment and giving a well-structured, persuasive answer, than answering hastily. However, the fact that you are a decorated Morris dancer, or were thrashed by Daphne and co on Eggheads, or once interviewed Mike Tyson for your student newspaper with the opener (and closer), For our readers who may not have heard of you, what do you do? these will remain with the panel afterwards. Impromptu presentations on random subjects; a Dragons Den pitch on something I had two minutes to invent; idiotic Oxbridge-interview questions (If you were a banana, what car would you drive? etc); deliberately confusing written exercises and needlessly aggressive interview styles were, and probably still are, all common features. This cookie is a browser ID cookie set by Linked share Buttons and ad tags. So it can be helpful to set yourself at ease. As with all tests or exams, you should be provided with a pack that contains everything about what you are expected to do. Second, if you can, find out who is going to be on the panel interviewing you. Work out what your star selling point is, make it adaptable so you can run it over a number of types of questions. And that is the very best impression you can leave. For example, at our chambers, we set different problem questions every year. You do not have to hit all the buttons, but having some will be good. Tip 1: Google and thoroughly research your chambers. Note from Arooj: other resources include reaching out to organisations such as Bridging the Bar and BME Legal. The ANONCHK cookie, set by Bing, is used to store a user's session ID and also verify the clicks from ads on the Bing search engine. Make sure you have properly understood what it is really like to work at that set and/or in that practice area (broadly described:for example my chambers does construction. Pupillage interview season is looming. However, as is so often pointed out, resilience is key and rejections are a natural part of such a competitive process, so, its something you have to try and get used to. To describe a time you had to act on your own initiative, draw on your experiences to clearly demonstrate the problem or challenge you faced, how you overcame it and the result of your actions. This is not intended to be a trial by ordeal where they are being mean to advocates to see what ability they have to withstand difficult situations. I advise you not to close yourself off from experiencing different areas of law, even those you think you might not like. Chambers websites, and the individual barristers pages on those websites, are good, but online directories will give you an idea which areas those chambers really have their reputation in. I feel strongly that the profession needs to change the way it operates and recruits because of the young talent it ultimately passes by, and I feel that making personalised feedback mandatory for candidates who have secured an interview, would be one very small way of changing it for the better. Its all bollocks of course. The third is remembering that although interviews always feel like the panel are trying to trip you up or trick you, theyre not. A common interview trick is to ask you to argue one side of a debate, before immediately inviting you to argue the opposite. For more detailed information about the cookies we use, see our. Do not wait until that stage until you practise. You'll need to be able to back up what you say about yourself with evidence from your work . You will be competing against people who are able to articulate exactly why they want to do the particular work available at a given set so in order to be competitive on this question I think you need a well thought through answer, and not just a line from the website (which was probably written by chambers marketing manager five years ago anyway). I genuinely dont think hobbies etc make a difference (except maybe if theyre done to a really high level, and even then, imo they only make a difference on the paper sift). Interpersonal skills: the ability to get on with solicitors, lay clients, colleagues and judges. And think about the type of client you are advising just a solicitor or an experienced company director, or an ordinary person who will need legal terms explaining. The format of the exercise will differ from chamber to chamber, but will likely require you to demonstrate: Advocacy and presentation skills. Kalisher Trust Preparation for pupillage interviews- Tuesday 23 February 2021 at 5pm Welcome Garry Green Katrina Walcott Rhiannon Crimmins Camilla Darling DIVERSITY 1. While considering other careers is not a problem, you should answer by demonstrating that you have considered other careers that involve some aspect of the law or require skills that are transferable to the legal profession. Law Work Experience: Your Guide to Success, Pupillage: a Guide for Aspiring Barristers, changed the way the legal system has to operate, How to Land a Pupillage Event: 5 Things I Learned. As a result, chambers can be highly individualistic. Be familiar with the areas of law that the set practises in and rehearse how to advocate your case for how its work ties in with your own interests and skills. The __gads cookie, set by Google, is stored under DoubleClick domain and tracks the number of times users see an advert, measures the success of the campaign and calculates its revenue. Tip 3: Be ready to talk about things on your CV in more detail, and also to explain any gaps there may be on your CV. Good advice. Make sure you know which areas of law they specialise in, which may be more specialised than just commercial or public law. Pupillage Interviews (Part 2): Top Tips from Established Practitioners and Juniors at the Bar, The Do's and Don'ts of Pupillage Applications, TRAINING CONTRACT APPLICATIONS AND WHERE TO START, RESOURCES FOR APPLYING TO Clifford Chance, INFORMATION FOR FOREIGN QUALIFIED LAWYERS, Pupillage Interviews (Part 1): Top Tips from Eight Silks. You will read how your contemporaries spent a year as an intern on an international human rights case, or have written starry and brilliant articles, theses or even books on esoteric and impressively complex aspects of your chosen legal field. Through my blog, I share information I wish I had access to back in the day. Articulate and perfect them. Should foreign criminals be deported after serving their sentence? The disdain from the panel was palpable. Temperament/personality: the ability to remain calm, objective and confident while working under pressure with complex or unfamiliar material. You don't always have to ask because most chambers have a wealth of information of their website. When you want to apply for pupillage you need to factor in where you are in your studies and what *Please bear in mind this was five years ago, a lot has changed since then and there are plenty of resources and organisations you can reach out to for assistance these are detailed in the article below. The pupillage statistics speak for themselves. Before the interview. just to make sure they could give you detailed information to help you succeed. Having had the privilege of seeing life from both sides of the interview table, I thought Id offer my own, largely worthless musings on the things I have learned. Bring your personal and family life experiences to interview and into your This just puts unnecessary pressure on you. Having relevant questions for pupillage interview panels demonstrates that you have a genuine interest in their chambers. Just be a human being. When it makes a good story. How to approach pupillage interviews. Two stages for the interview process: 1) Written test - Choose one question from three legal questions and answer it in essay format - Answer must be sent via email within 30 minutes of receiving it 2) Virtual interview - Two interviewers who are partners at the firm . A lot of chambers give meaningful feedback which is specific to you. Theres a mystique about the forensic skills and startling intelligence of barristers. You would need to answer this question honestly and remain true to your convictions. In terms of nerves that turn into panic, I think there are three solutions. Hopefully there arent many chambers asking this sort of thing anymore. Tip 4: As difficult as it is, do not care about the outcome. T - True You must be true to yourself. Do the prep. The ability to think on your feet and cope under pressure. In two days of this article being released, we had over 2000 views and several messages saying it was some of the most detailed pupillage advice the pupillage hopefuls had seen. A chambers interview panel may ask this question to get an understanding of your views on the Bar and what the future holds for the legal profession. The cookies store information anonymously and assign a randomly generated number to identify unique visitors. How do we force cowardly murderers to face up to what they have done? The standard CV drill, so know your CV well and describe your experiences. I find this poor. It seems to me that you write a good deal about the lack of resources in the court system, including the lack of trained personnel. This is a question that genuinely seeks to discover how a chambers can best help you develop if there is an aspect of pupillage you could find difficult. Some pupillage interview feedback. It does not store any personal data. Try to react positively and dont be afraid to stick to your point. Why then make it so hard to become a barrister? And dont give up on your passion, no matter what happens. SA'AD'S TOP TIPS INCLUDE: Tip 1: If you get through the pupillage application stage and you are now preparing for a pupillage interview, well done. Do not come up to a Set which you think specialises in Banking Law but actually does more Clinical Negligence. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. You have got to be curious. Make sure you've researched the chambers thoroughly. According to The Inner Temple, this is a genuine question asked by some chambers interview panels. However, despite this, I found out that I had been unsuccessful at 3pm on 7 May by email, having stared obsessively at my phone all day, waiting to learn of the decision. Be yourself. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The interview procedures adopted by chambers can be very varied. Please note that you must have already secured a pupillage interview to be eligible for this scheme. Your response to some questions will be deliberately challenged by the interview panel. This applies equally whether you are interviewing face to face or online. Your CV counts for absolutely nothing when youre sitting in a cell opposite a screaming heroin addict who has stabbed his cellmate in the eye and is threatening to exact upon you his frustration that his solicitor hasnt been to visit him. Should minors be charged as adults for heinous crimes? Remember, one of our skills it to detect a liar from miles away and to hone in and kill. Some examples include: The first question an interview panel is likely to ask you is why do you want to be a barrister? China tea-pot, warm smiles, civil conversation. Be prepared succinctly to summarise the main point, explain what was interesting, what your view was and what the arguments against were. For me, this is the only second-round interview I have secured to date and therefore, the feedback I was expecting to receive would have been by far the most useful and as such was the most highly anticipated. If youre unsure how to answer a question, dont panic. Developing a mantra. Some chambers do things the old-fashioned way. You can accept or reject cookies which are not essential for the site to work by clicking on the Cookie settings below. So you cant really give a wrong answer; you just need to be able to argue in support of it. This cookie is to identify the source of a visit and store user action information about it in a cookies. The people the panel remember from the interview were the ones who gave clear, compelling, insightful answers to our questions, not the people with wacky hobbies. Chambers usually know this a week before your interview. Pupillages are generally offered almost 18 months in advance of their start dates. Many will have impressive previous careers, either in law or outside, and as a twenty-something BPTC graduate, it is easy to be gripped by inferiority. This, Im afraid, is the reality. As someone who has been applying for pupillage for over four years, made over 70 applications, and interviewed over nearly 30 times, point #10 is by far the point that resonates with me the most. Make sure you show how you plan to overcome any difficulties because this demonstrates your commitment to learning and shows the panel that you are teachable. Tip 2: It can be a daunting experience to be presented in front of a panel of barristers asking questions.So it can be helpful to set yourself at ease. We a legal jobs marketplace exclusively for paralegals, law support staff and law firms only. Another set, which you prefer and have always wanted to join, then makes you an offer a week later. This cookies is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos. But because that is the case, expecting people to be in the same country, let alone close vicinity, that far in . You will always do your best when you are relaxed and enjoying the challenge with which you are faced. Receiving an invitation to an interview creates the initial . If you have a passion for something in the law, then demonstrate that. Although you are being interviewed, you are also interviewing. Instead, try to ask engaging questions that elicit information that is not readily available but which is important to you. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Tip 1: Thoroughly research the Set you have applied to. The purpose of the cookie is to enable LinkedIn functionalities on the page. If there are things you want to ask about or things that matter to you, do not be afraid to raise them. You will be expected to know it off by heart and you must be prepared to answer questions about anything you have included. The panel may well challenge you on some of your answers. When is human trafficking not human trafficking? Its very likely that youll be asked some questions about information you have included in your application. How do you cope with being turned down? The response was incredible. Youll do much better if youre appropriately confident. The well-advised will also have squeezed some pro bono legal advisory work into their non-existent free time. this is so user unfriendly that it is ridiculous, no way it seems to bespoke a search for say on gateway and off-gateway, how many pupillages offered or by specialities. I also shared snippets of my successful Clifford Chance application to show how differently I had phrased my answers. Tip 4: Some chambers ask you to take part in a mock conference, as if you are advising a client in chambers. An interactive law experience. Mine certainly did, as I was sure I did not want to do crime, but it turns out I love advocacy and my criminal pupillage meant for daily fun and excitement. So elaborate, do not fabricate. Are you reactive, defensive or dismissive? Tip 4: Bearing in mind that a pupillage interview is a daunting experience, remind yourself that the panel are people who want you to succeed. What is a CPS Pupillage and How Do I Get One? There are even UK nationals who secure jobs abroad during the time in-between the BTC and pupillage who are now at a disadvantage. The purpose of this cookie is to synchronize the ID across many different Microsoft domains to enable user tracking. Aspects of this include how articulate, confident and perceptive you are. Tip 2: Play the game and give the Sets you are interviewing at what they want. However, in most cases the selection process will include a practical exercise and an interview (usually two). You wont be asked about anything obscure. Competency is not all about how you perform as a barrister, its also about how you react in the face of adversity. Be honest, but ensure that you give clear explanations why you have considered other careers and why you ultimately chose to pursue a career as a barrister. Meditation or breathing exercises. All it takes to break a losing streak is just one lucky win. Reflect on them, learn from them, and move on. Now, just to give you some background about how this particular article came about - last month, I collaborated with six juniors at the Bar. Mock interviews are essential. When the Pupillage Gateway slams shut and chambers began reading the mass of application forms electronically thrust before them in a bid to sift, sort and filter into a carefully selected list of the chosen few who they want to meet in person. However, as long as you prepare properly for a pupillage interview, there's always a chance that you're the lucky applicant. First, do your research about the chambers you have an interview with so you know what their practice areas are very well. The cookie is used to store information of how visitors use a website and helps in creating an analytics report of how the website is doing. Applications for pupillage with Mountford Chambers commencing in 2024. Find out more! None, Im afraid, will stand you out in the memory of the panel. but they linger. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. First. Even if the topic is your Mastermind subject, you win no points for speed. So, for every single pupillage interview you have, really think about who is on the receiving end and prepare with that in mind. For several interviews thereafter, I cleared my throat and proudly declared my thirst for justice, passion for advocacy and burning need to help the helpless, voice the voiceless and improve the unimprovable. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. This is the linkhttps://www.gresham.ac.uk/lectures-and-events/barrister-insiders-guide. For all the latest commercial awareness info, and advance notification of Legal Cheek's careers events: Follows letter from wannabe barrister first reported by Legal Cheek, Aspiring barrister Noah Gifford describes common practice among chambers as insulting in open letter. Action Next, describe the specific actions that you took as a team and the contribution you made individually. Can you think logically and present your arguments succinctly and persuasively? This helps your audience to follow the train of your reasoning which is how we persuade judges. I am not apologetic in saying that to you because the one thing you are going to have to demonstrate if you want to be a barrister is that you are self-directed, self-motivated and independent learner who is prepared to seek out information yourself and then apply it to the courts. This is important because time you go into court, one of you is going to fail because you wont win the case (just take a pause and let the ripple of that realisation drip through). If you did that, it would actually be a point against you because we are interested in the analysis of the principles and not how many cases you know. Its important to know your CV inside-out and to be prepared to demonstrate hard evidence of how your skills can add value to the chambers you are interviewing with. It is also acceptable to ask for a minute to compose yourself as a rushed answer looks worse than asking for time to think about your answer. The list of questions you could face is illustrative and not exhaustive, so you must be ready for anything. I applied through college or university. The question is asked to assess how clearly and concisely you can provide an explanation for something that requires logical thinking in the moment. A diverse profession representative of those who use the Bars services is a virtue b. For example: You have accepted pupillage with one set of chambers. This is the most important case you are going to argue and it cant have a more important subject: you and your future. Some sets will hold only one interview for pupillage candidates, but most will hold two. This quiz is designed to give you a helpful steer as to which practice area you might be suited to. See the videoPupillage Interviews Uncovered II. What you can do however is make sure you are well rested and relaxed, as this will be more conducive to a good interview . These attributes are essential to practice at the Bar, and you need to show the panel that you possess them. 5. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. P - Preparation When you think about interviews from the point of view of the interviewer, they will have heard most answers before. Instead, you will be expected to present a logical, well-presented and well-structured argument to address a hotly debated topic relating to law. That is unavoidable. Looking back, I was fortunate not to have a chair thrown at me. As an advocate, your very purpose is to convince the Court that you have the better case; an interview is no different. Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. Tip 5: Be engaging. No feedback was provided in this email fine, so as most would expect I immediately replied, thanking the set for letting me know and asking the panel for some feedback. Line up a few of these during your interview prep. (Life at the Bar is much the same.) You must be aware of recent changes in legislation affecting the areas of law in which chambers specialise. Copyright 2023 Legal Cheek Ltd. All Rights Reserved. But dont be overawed by the invitation to discuss yourself in front of members of chambers who are only there because they have to do their turn at interviewing. 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These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Going out for a walk. Presidents of University Law Societies are ten-a-penny. Some questions you could be asked include: This question is asked to assess your advocacy skills and your ability to present a reasoned, logical, compelling and well-structured argument.
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