Each year Chambers offers sixteen week-long unfunded mini-pupillages.

During the week you will be in court every day. We try to ensure that you see as broad a range of court work as possible. If you tell us you would like to see a particular sort of case, we will do our best to enable you to see one.

Although Chambers is unable to pay mini-pupils’ expenses, we will not expect you to travel to see cases being heard in courts outside London.

Eligible candidates
So many applications are received that we have had to limit the pool of candidates who are eligible for a mini-pupillage. Places are restricted to those who have studied or are already studying for a Law degree or equivalent qualification, or who have secured a place to do so. We will consider candidates who have gained or are studying for a non-law degree and are interested in coming to the Bar. We are not able to offer mini-pupillages to candidates who have not yet commenced undergraduate studies.

Application Procedure
Applications for any given year should be sent preferably by e-mail or alternatively by post for the attention of Daniel Stevenson (dstevenson@9-12bellyard.com), who is responsible for organising mini-pupillage. The closing date for applications is 31st March, after which date applications will not be considered.

Applications should consist of:-
a CV
a covering letter explaining in no more than 200 words the applicant’s interest in a career at the Criminal Bar.

It is extremely helpful if candidates state in their application the dates during which they will be available for mini-pupillage. Please bear in mind that the more flexible candidates are the more likely to secure mini-pupillage. Competition for mini-pupillage at these Chambers is fierce and cancellations by mini-pupils do not impress!

Consideration of applications
Applications will be judged on merit. All the information given by each applicant in his or her CV will be considered, but particular weight will be given to academic qualifications and the applicant’s reasons for his or her interest in a career at the Criminal Bar. Applications will be considered and candidates will be notified once the date for applications closes.

Equal opportunities
We recognise that mini-pupillages are part of the established route of access to the profession. Therefore Chambers is committed to an equal opportunities policy which does not discriminate on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, political beliefs or disability. If a successful candidate has a disability we will endeavour to arrange their mini-pupillage to suit their requirements (i.e. at courts local to them, with parking facilities etc).

John McGuiness QC and Philippa Macatasney QC are the equal opportunities officers.

Results of the application procedure
We will write to successful and unsuccessful applicants alike.

We try to fix the date for each mini-pupillage at the outset, which is why we ask applicants to include any dates to avoid on their application letter. As long as these are known in advance, dates can be fixed for each mini-pupillage at the outset.

Successful applicants will receive a letter giving advice about what to wear, setting out the arrangements for the start of your week and enclosing a map to help find Chambers.

Confidentiality
According to Bar Council policy, each mini-pupil is asked to sign an undertaking to maintain confidentiality in respect of all the sensitive and confidential information he or she may hear or read about during the mini-pupillage.

Reports
A report is prepared on every mini-pupil which will be passed to the Pupillage Committee for consideration should he or she apply for pupillage. However, competition is fierce and places are limited. Therefore it is certainly not a requirement of these Chambers for applicants for pupillage to have first completed a mini-pupillage within chambers.