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The Pupillage Interview/Acceptance/Rejection Thread 2012

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Hi all.

I need opinions/knowledge on applying for a pupillage -I am due to start the BPTC at BPP this September after securing a Major Scholarship.

Would it be better to apply for a pupillage this year and (hypothetically as well as realistically) not gain a pupillage and then apply again next year after I have gained more experience? Is testing the water worth doing?
OR
Would it be better to just leave it this year and try next year? Having completed the BPTC and gaining more relevant experience.

Help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
Its criminal sets I intend to apply to.

Reply 341

Lawlad

Original post by tnedutS waL

I would absolutely advise you to apply this year. Getting pupillage, as I am sure you will know, is very tough. Not to apply this year would be, in my opinion, a wasted opportunity.

There are very few sets who prevent you from applying to them twice and if you do not get an interview they will not remember you anyway so no harm done.

Congratulations on your scholarship, that is great. I have read that of those who get a scholarship 1/3 get pupillage which is high odds in this game. However, you should also be aware that of those who do apply most will have scholarships, prizes, first class degrees, mooting competitions etc.

Applying to criminal sets is less likely to end in success before the BPTC (than commercial for example) because you will have less advocacy experience. However, a number of my friends got pupillage from the GDL with criminal sets so it is not impossible.

Good Luck!

Reply 342

jcasey1989

Original post by Elf7

Selborne offer out... Not to me though! Anyone had their rejection phonecall yet?

I did a second round there - haven't heard anything yet... have you been called/know of anyone who has?

Reply 343

bptcstudent2011

Original post by jcasey1989

I did a second round there - haven't heard anything yet... have you been called/know of anyone who has?

I didn't apply there but my friend accepted pupillage there on Monday evening. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and good luck for other applications.

Reply 344

Onthepupillagehunt

Original post by tnedutS waL

Hi there,

I would say DEFINTIELY APPLY this year. As LawLad said, it would indeed be a wasted opportunity. I applied last year (pre-BPTC) and I got a lot of interviews which was great practice and alllowed me to scope out the sets beyond just what their website says. Having not got pupillage, I feel like I'm in a much better position this year to apply because:
1) I know which sets I should/shoudn't apply to (not only the specific ones but the types);
2) What a first and second round interview looks like;
3) How to approach organising my summer (!) this year (ie don't back up assessed minis one week after the next!) as well as organising my applications; and
4) I have lovely samples of applications to use from last year (obviously with a bit of updating) which is going to be invaluable this year considering the exam dates for crim and civil BPTC are smack in the middle of OLPAS season and so I won't be doing apps until they're over.

If you don't get pupillage this year, believe me, despite the pain, you'll want the experience next year!

Bon Chance!

Reply 345

tnedutS waL

Excellent advice, both of you - I shall indeed apply this year then. Fun balancing revision with applications though :/

Reply 346

jcasey1989

Original post by bptcstudent2011

I didn't apply there but my friend accepted pupillage there on Monday evening. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news and good luck for other applications.

No worries! It was my first ever pupillage application and the interview threw me a bit... hopefully I'll know what to expect next time :smile:

Reply 347

bptcstudent2011

Does anyone know whether any chambers look at olpas apps on a rolling basis?

Reply 348

GodWilling

Just a quick question to those who interviewed last year or those who were lucky enough to get pupillage last year in relation to pupillage interviews. Do all chambers ask you to bring along your certificates for your academic qualifications? I interviewed in chambers in Leeds and a London Chambers where I had to take all my certificates with me from A'Levels onwards.

I've misplaced one of my A'Level certificates!! Will this be a problem? I am ofcourse trying to order another copy but not sure how long it takes.

Thanks in advance.

Reply 349

third time lucky

Original post by GodWilling

In the few interviews I have been to over the past two years, I have never been asked to take any documentation with me. That said, this was the case in a handful of commercial sets in London. In any event, I can't imagine one missing certificate would entirely scupper your chances of securing pupillage.

Reply 350

Bar None

Original post by bptcstudent2011

Does anyone know whether any chambers look at olpas apps on a rolling basis?

As far as I am aware, Chambers don't have access to portal applications until the close of the application period.

Reply 351

Crazy Jamie

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by GodWilling

I was never asked to provide any certificates or proof of my academic qualifications in any of my five interviews, and to be honest I haven't heard of anybody I know being asked to do so either. It's clearly some kind of individual policy for these specific Chambers, and as such it will be down to them as to how big a problem it is that you can't find your A-Level certificates. To be honest I wouldn't worry about it; if you impress them sufficiently in interview to warrant being taken further along the process, be that a second interview or a pupillage offer, I doubt the lack of A-Level certificates will prove to be a barrier.

Reply 352

DreamPupil

I have an interview for the Fox Fund Scholarship at Middle Temple. Does anyone know what this interview normally involves? Has anyone got any experience of this? If so, please let me know. I know this is slightly off topic, but I would greatly appreciate any help. Thank you! :smile:

Reply 353

tnedutS waL

Original post by DreamPupil

Not a Middle Templer but found this particularly helpful as an indicator of what tp expect in my Lincoln's interview. I don't see any reason why it shouldn't apply for you.

http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=202403689801374

Reply 354

SevenStars

Original post by DreamPupil

I have been told that the interview itself is incredibly short - 15 minutes - but beyond that, I am afraid I do not know. I can't imagine it's terribly different from any other interview, so knowing your CV inside out and the reasons why you want to go to Toronto would be good starting points.

Good luck.

Reply 355

Emmaleuk

Original post by tnedutS waL

Excellent advice, both of you - I shall indeed apply this year then. Fun balancing revision with applications though :/

It's not going to be any easier next year balancing revision with applications ;-)

Reply 356

Lawlad

Interviews with Hailsham out today by telephone.

Does anyone know anyone who had an interview there last year? Any tips would be much appreciated.

Reply 357

nearmiss

Hi all, have begun to wade through the Pupillage Portal. Sigh. Just out of interest, do chambers see which other sets you have applied to? Not that it matters really, nothing to hide but I suppose it may look a bit odd if a set you've applied to (with genuine interest in) but as a bit of a wildcard, sees where else you've applied and thinks you wouldn't really be interested in pupillage there if (dream world) somewhere else accepted you! Curious to know. Good luck to all.

Reply 358

nearmiss

also, the application ID you get on the 'under consideration box' after you've submitted; is that the number of applications so far? If so, it's close to 300 already... Again just curious/ procrastinating from applications :frown:

Reply 359

Kessler`

Original post by nearmiss

I think so, at least that's what we worked out in last year's thread. Just wait till closing date, it shoots up alarmingly in the last couple of days :wink: