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Year 10 barrister work experience

I am thinking about becoming a commercial barrister. I want to get a deeper understanding of what the career involves and the day-to-day tasks that barristers have to do. I believe that work experience can help me achieve this and also could look good when applying for sixth form. I want to email some local law firms hoping that one of them could let me do work experience there (ideally let me shadow a barrister).

How do I format an email asking to apply for work experience?
Am I too young to apply?
Can I just come for about 1 hour a week for a period of time?
Can I shadow a barrister at this age?
I witnessed a case before, but are there any ways of gaining work experience other than just shadowing a barrister (e.g. by doing a mock trial?
How can I sign up for a mock trial?

P.s. I want to do the work experience now rather than during summer as I heard that that's when most people do it and so it is very hard to get a spot

Reply 1

LordNeubrgerArmy

Original post by VoiidDev

Hi, I did work experience with a barrister when I was in sixth form, I've now passed the Bar and looking for pupillage.

To be honest, if you're in year 10, you might be too young to do it. Take a look at the recruitment section of local chambers websites though, and see if they say anything about age. Some might state they won't offer work experience to people under 18. You can just chance your arm though, and see where it will get you. You might be surprised and get an offer to do some work experience. I would start out just by emailing them to ask whether they'd consider you given your age. If they say they'll consider you, take a look at their website and see how they want you to apply. Some places want you to do an application form, others a CV and cover letter. I know you don't have your GCSE's yet, but mostly places are looking for enthusiasm, so sound passionate and excited in your application, make them think you're seriously considering this as a career.

I'm not sure about coming for 1 hour a week for a period of time, you'd have to ask wherever you're applying to whether that would be ok. Traditionally work experience with a barrister is called a mini-pupillage (it just means work experience), and typically lasts 3-5 days. 1 hour a week for a period of time sounds a bit more like a solicitor's firm work experience, although I never did that so I'm not an expert.

Mock trials and mooting are a great way to get some advocacy experience and see whether this career is for you. Take a look at lawcareers.net, also Mooting Online is good, but again check whether they have any kind of age requirement. If you can't find mock trials and mooting, I'd strongly recommend joining your school's debating team if you have one. If not, why don't you make one? That would look amazing on your CV and put you in good stead.

I know this probably hasn't been the answer you wanted to hear, but just bide your time if you can't get anywhere to give you work experience. Keep studying hard, reading up about what barristers do, and do extracurricular activities to strengthen yourself so when it's your time, you can knock em dead.

P.S. I wouldn't worry about work experience prior to sixth form, unless the sixth form you're going for is specifically asking for some kind of work experience. Most just want a good set of grades for admission.

Best of luck.

Reply 2

Crazy Jamie

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by VoiidDev

I want to email some local law firms hoping that one of them could let me do work experience there (ideally let me shadow a barrister).

So the first thing you need to realise is that law firms employ solicitors. Barristers are nearly all members of a Chambers. There are some barristers who are employed by law firms and other organisations, but the majority are self employed and part of a Chambers (also called a 'set', if you see that phrase). So you wouldn't be emailing a law firm and asking them to let you shadow a barrister. Law firms are certainly a potential avenue to legal work experience though, so I wouldn't discount them.

How do I format an email asking to apply for work experience?

There's no specific way to do it. Say who you are. Ask if they can offer any work experience. But don't be afraid to use contacts here either. Might be that your parents know a solicitor or someone else who knows someone else who works in the law. Your teachers might know people. You should absolutely be using those contacts if you have them.

Am I too young to apply?

In reality, yes, you probably are. Most Chambers do not offer work experience (called mini pupillage, as you've been told) to those in school or sixth form. For most it's undergraduates and above. Not all, though, so do send emails and see where it gets you. The worst that happens is that you get told you are too young, but you might have an idea of where you can apply to when you're older. There's no rush here; doing work experience in sixth form will be more than enough.

Can I just come for about 1 hour a week for a period of time?

Almost certainly not. Both law firms and Chambers will need the period you spend with them to be more defined than that. Mini pupillages are normally between 3 and 5 days in the same week, for example.

Can I shadow a barrister at this age?

Again, I don't think so. My Chambers doesn't generally offer work experience unless you're undergraduate. We have put exceptions in place from time to time, such as offering work experience to local sixth form students at particular schools, and I've had some mini pupils on a more informal basis who were in sixth form. But I wouldn't take a GCSE student as a mini pupil, and I don't think my Chambers would either. I can't imagine any set doing that. Unfortunately as much as it's great that you're interested in the career at this point, you are too young.

[quote[
I witnessed a case before, but are there any ways of gaining work experience other than just shadowing a barrister (e.g. by doing a mock trial?
How can I sign up for a mock trial?

You've been given the mock trial answer above. There are more opportunities to do it at university. You can always just go along to your local county, magistrates or crown court and watch cases. If you have a chat with the ushers you may even be able to talk to the barristers or judges (very much on an informal basis though). You can also try for work experience with a judge, which is called marshalling. Email your local courts to enquire about that. Again, I expect you're too young, but there's no harm in trying.

P.s. I want to do the work experience now rather than during summer as I heard that that's when most people do it and so it is very hard to get a spot

It is, though as you apply over time you shouldn't have difficulty gaining relevant experience. It's just not automatic, and you often do need to arrange it quite far in advance. You may well be a little late for summer now, even if you were old enough.

EDIT: I knew when it started separating out the automatic quotes that me putting more quote tags in was going to cause issues. Hopefully it's still legible.