Pupillage
The deadline for applications for pupillages starting with us in October 2014 has now passed and we have completed our interviewing and assessment process. If you applied (in time) and have not heard from us, please call Gabriela Pieterse on 020 7691 2424. In the meantime, we would like to thank everyone who took the time to apply, to do our verbal reasoning test, and to come to our interviews and selection day. If you have comments or feedback on our pupillage selection process, please ask Gabriela for a feedback form.
Pupillage is a vital part of the training and recruitment of new junior tenants at XXIV Old Buildings. We offer up to two 12-month long pupillages every year. We aim to select junior tenants from our pupils and in the past three years have taken on 4 of our 6 pupils.
What pupillage entails
We aim to provide pupils with thorough training in all aspects of our work and are concerned to make each pupil’s involvement both interesting and enjoyable. Pupils are likely to have 4 pupil masters and will usually spend 3 months with each of them. They will also have the opportunity to see other members’ practices and meet all members of Chambers. Pupils attend court and conferences with members of chambers and are involved in legal research, writing advices and drafting statements of case.
The emphasis during pupillage is on training and preparing pupils for a career at the Bar. In common with other Commercial Chancery chambers, opportunities for pupils obtaining their own work are limited, even in the second six months pupillage.
Pupils starting with us in October 2013 will each receive an award of £60,000 and pupils starting in October 2014 will receive £65,000.
What we look for in a pupil
We look for candidates with strong academic qualifications (a first or 2:1 degree though not necessarily in law, although we consider lower class degree if you suffered mitigating circumstances), intellectual ability, sound common sense and judgment, enthusiasm for the type of work in which we specialise. We aim to identify potential to become great advocates and successful tenants in our Chambers.
We take particular pride in our transparent, fair, rigorous and friendly application process which we believe our applicants deserve and appreciate. We operate an equal opportunities policy and recruit without regard to race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, citizenship, sex, gender re-assignment, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, religion or belief or pregnancy and maternity.
Our Pupillage and Recruitment Policy is available here
The application process for pupillage commencing October 2014 is now closed. Applications are not currently being processed and are liable to be ignored. Applications for pupillages commencing in October 2015 are likely to be invited early in 2014. Please check back on this website later this year.
More information
Further details can be found in our 2011/12 Pupillage Brochure. Chambers and Partners Student Guide has also prepared its own independent report on pupillage at XXIV Old Buildings.
Our applications are not processed through the Pupillage Portal/Gateway. We do not pay interview travel expenses.
Please note that, at present, we have no vacancies for third six pupils or squatters. Applications for such positions will be rejected without acknowledgement.