The recruitment of pupils through the OLPAS system is a thorough process. We select and fund four pupils in the expectation that one or more will prove to be tenancy material. Historically, we have also recruited from the pool of third six pupils. We tend to consider applications by third sixers in the spring and application by 12 monthers in October.

Whichever category you fall into you need to understand we are looking for outstanding candidates.

The precise criteria for selection as a tenant are set out below:

1. For the purpose of taking on junior tenants, the composition of the Tenancy Committee will include:
   
   • the Head of Chambers
   • the Silk in charge of Advocacy
   • any Silk who has had a pupil in the preceding 12 months
   • 1 junior over 10 years call who is not a pupil supervisor
   • 2 juniors under 10 years call
   
   A Quorum will be formed from a minimum of 7 of those listed above, which must include at least one Silk and at least four members of the Management Committee.
   
2. Pupils are informed in writing at the outset of their pupillage of the recruitment procedure and the selection criteria.
3. Save in the most exceptional circumstances all pupils will be considered for a tenancy at the conclusion of their 12 months pupillage and can expect a final decision at that stage. Chambers reserve the right to defer an application.
4. There will be a separate written report on each applicant from the clerks room.
5. Applicants are discouraged from seeking endorsements from solicitors.
6. Applicants are asked to put forward a short CV and no more than two pieces of paperwork. Applicants should be encouraged to take care to ensure that paperwork submitted does not involve any case in which his/her pupil supervisor is against or co-defending with another member of Chambers. Paperwork must be redacted and/or amended to respect client confidentiality.
7. A written record of the performance of each applicant in Advocacy Training is also put before the Tenancy Committee. Those in charge of Advocacy Training will maintain a file for that purpose.
8. A file of CV's, reports and paperwork is distributed to all members of the Tenancy Committee in advance of the meeting. Each file is returned to a member of the Pupillage Committee for destruction as confidential waste save that one copy is retained by the Pupillage Committee.
9. At the outset of the meeting the Chairperson should provide those present with a list of the qualities we are seeking in candidates.
   
   These qualities (referred to elsewhere in this booklet as "standard criteria") can be summarised under the headings of:
   
   1. Ability as an advocate
   2. An analytical mind
   3. An ability to think under pressure
   4. A commitment to hard work
   5. An ability to understand and show understanding of the needs and problems of those for whom and with whom they work
   6. Character
   
10. If a candidate asks for reasons why his/her application has been unsuccessful, that information will be provided in writing.
11. Where an applicant makes a complaint that he/she has been the subject of discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability or age, that complaint will be investigated by the Chambers Equal Opportunities Officer and the Head of Chambers will be notified of the fact of the complaint.
12. In the event that the complaint is considered to be well founded, then
    
    (i) the Equal Opportunities Officer will report that to the Head of Chambers;
    (ii) the application will be evaluated by a differently constituted Committee convened by the Head of Chambers. That Committee shall offer a tenancy to the applicant if it is of the view that the applicant should properly have been offered a tenancy by the first Committee.
    
13. Whatever the outcome of the investigation, the complainant will be advised of his/her right to make a complaint to the Bar Council.

Documentation accompanying an application for tenancy You will receive assistance from the Pupillage Committee in putting the relevant documents into the bundle to be considered by the Pupillage Committee.

Written work
You are required to submit two pieces of work in support of your application. It is your responsibility to ensure that in doing so client confidentiality is respected. This may mean that it will be necessary to amend advices or opinions to disguise the party involved. You will appreciate that skeleton arguments, case summaries and documents of that nature which are already in the public domain do not attract privilege.

As a precaution you should also ensure that the piece of work you submit does not relate to a case in which members of Chambers other than your pupil supervisor are involved.

The Kalisher Essay
Each pupil is required to submit an essay as part of the annual Kalisher Essay Competition. The essay will form part of the application bundle. A strong essay carries some weight with the Tenancy Committee.

Curriculum Vitae
A single page will suffice.

Appraisals by Pupil Supervisor
An appraisal will be taken from each pupil supervisor at the end of the four months (12 monthers) or three months (3rd sixers).

Appraisal by clerks
The views of the Senior Clerk are submitted to the Committee in writing. He will be aware of the views of the other clerks.

Testimonials from solicitors
Do not solicit them and do not submit them with your application. Approaching solicitors can cause embarrassment.

Self-assessment forms
These will be distributed and collected by Felicia Davy at the same time as the appraisals. They form no part of the Tenancy Committee's deliberations. Rather, they are an opportunity for the Pupillage Committee to pick up problems and monitor the success or otherwise of pupillage policy. Therefore, please be frank.