The Pupillage Interview/Acceptance/Rejection Thread 2016

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Anyone heard anything from 4 New Square?

Nope. Nothing yet. Could be a fun weekend / Monday.

Will post if I hear anything. Please feel free to do likewise if you hear first! 😎

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Reply 81

LegalLab

Original post by Best guppy

Nope. Nothing yet. Could be a fun weekend / Monday.

Will post if I hear anything. Please feel free to do likewise if you hear first! 😎

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I know I think it could certainly be a long one but at least there are other deadlines coming up to keep us busy! Yeah I will post on here if/when I hear anything :smile:

Reply 82

Forum User

Just got a rejection email from 4NS.

Reply 83

LegalLab

Original post by Forum User

Just got a rejection email from 4NS.

Also just got the rejection email! Oh well never mind!

Reply 84

sonichappiness

Invitation to first round interview at 4NS just received by email - but no allocated time slot yet.

Edit: Oh, sorry - just seen the above posts. Sorry to hear about your rejection emails. Onwards!

(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 85

LegalLab

Original post by sonichappiness

Invitation to first round interview at 4NS just received by email - but no allocated time slot yet.

Edit: Oh, sorry - just seen the above posts. Sorry to hear about your rejection emails. Onwards!

Congratulations on your interview! Best of luck!

Reply 86

TimmonaPortella

Original post by Forum User

Just got a rejection email from 4NS.

Original post by LegalLab

Also just got the rejection email! Oh well never mind!

Commiserations guys. Next time.

Original post by sonichappiness

Invitation to first round interview at 4NS just received by email - but no allocated time slot yet.Edit: Oh, sorry - just seen the above posts. Sorry to hear about your rejection emails. Onwards!

Congrats

Reply 87

sonichappiness

Original post by LegalLab

Congratulations on your interview! Best of luck!

Original post by TimmonaPortella

Commiserations guys. Next time.

Congrats :smile:

Thank you, both - hugely kind, and very much appreciated. Think I'm punching above my weight, to be honest, but we shall see!

Reply 88

Best guppy

I'm well behind the curve. Congratulations and commiserations in equal measure. Have a good weekend all (applications permitting)!

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Reply 89

mathsmusicfrench

Hi all. I am waiting on Falcon too.

Have spent the weekend drafting and redrafting the long questions on the BPTC form. I've heard its not difficult to get a place but I'm taking no chances. Does anyone know any numbers on this?

Does anyone know for sure if you get considered by options 4-6 if you get offers from 1-3 but reject them? I had previously thought that any offer in round 1 meant not considered in round 2 but now I'm unsure.

Reply 90

LadyLaw23

Original post by mathsmusicfrench

No numbers, but it is fairly easy to get a place, especially if you have good academics and have done a mini or two. I was told by one person who is in charge of the BPTC at one of the providers that if, for example, you have a first and they're your 1st choice, you almost automatically get an offer.

Why would you reject offers from 1-3 if they really are your top 3 choices?!

Drafting the long form questions should at least be good practice for pupillage applications as the questions are very similar.

Reply 91

TimmonaPortella

Original post by mathsmusicfrench

Have spent the weekend drafting and redrafting the long questions on the BPTC form. I've heard its not difficult to get a place but I'm taking no chances. Does anyone know any numbers on this?

https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk/media-centre/research-and-statistics/statistics/bptc-statistics/

In most years, a majority of those who apply enrol. I can't find the offer rate, but chances are it's substantially higher than the enrolment rate, given funding concerns etc.

As long as you have vaguely realistic academics, a mini or two and preferably a moot, I wouldn't fret.

Original post by Best guppy

Have a good weekend all (applications permitting)!

Ha, a weekend!

Sunday evening is trying to think of something for Maitland's 'persuade us' section evening.

Reply 92

TimmonaPortella

BPTC App:

Anyone else have absolutely no idea of the exact dates of their secondary education?

I'm seriously contemplating a wild guess.

Reply 93

Best guppy

Re: BPTC applications

Before you commit to your choices, have a look at the statistics, and think very carefully about where you want to practise and how much you can realistically afford to spend.

I'd suggest you treat any provider who won't give details of pupillage success rates with caution. The unofficial stats were published somewhere online relatively recently, and in some instances, they were shocking.

Look carefully at BSB monitoring reports: they're all available on the BSB website.

Regional sets look for a local connection or commitment to the area, so I'm told.

Think about providers who use more than just a paper application to select their students.

Cards on table: I'm a career changer and I live in London and have the *luxury* to be able to do the BPTC full-time without pupillage *yet* 🙏
I went to all three of the London providers while I was deciding, having received offers from them all, and chose ULaw on the basis of: selective entry (using relevant, task-based in-person assessment), the scholarship (fee discount) they offered me as a result AND their careers department.

Remember folks: the providers are in it to make money, and you are investing in your future. What suits me won't necessarily suit all of you.

If you have any further questions, feel free to DM me.

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Reply 94

Best guppy

Ha, a weekend!

Sunday evening is trying to think of something for Maitland's 'persuade us' section evening.

Tell me about it. 8 hours in the library today prepping for next week.

I'm not in the running for Maitland. Good luck!

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(edited 8 years ago)

Reply 95

TimmonaPortella

Original post by Best guppy

Tell me about it. 8 hours in the library today prepping for next week.

I'm not in the running for Maitland. Good luck!

Yes, this bunching together of applications is a nightmare.

Neither am I, probably, but I'm applying anyway. They gave me a mini, but I've never really worked out why, looking at their barrister profiles.

Reply 96

mathsmusicfrench

Original post by LadyLaw23

Why would you reject offers from 1-3 if they really are your top 3 choices?!

In case I have no funding and need to live at home and commute 1 hour on the train into Birmingham, or I decide to live with my brother up North and go to a provider there, for example. Just to keep different location options open a bit longer until closer to Inns Scholarships etc.

Thanks all for the reassurance, I have a Russell Group LLB and 4 minis, so should probably take comfort from that.

Reply 97

TimmonaPortella

Original post by mathsmusicfrench

I'm in a similar position fwiw. I'm using one of my three slots for a provincial place, incase I can't afford London.

Reply 98

TimmonaPortella

Has anyone else noticed that Stone Chambers gives two different dates for receipt of references? In the body of the application form it says Wednesday 28th January. Perhaps that refers to receipt of the written reference, if it is sent in the first instance by email?

Reply 99

Crazy Jamie

Careers Forum Helper

Original post by Best guppy

Regional sets look for a local connection or commitment to the area, so I'm told.

Yes and no. It depends first and foremost what you mean by 'regional'. Every set wants to recruit a pupil that will be able to integrate into the Chambers and develop a practice there. What exactly gives you the best chance of doing that will vary from set to set. For example, the larger sets in cities like Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds will probably be less concerned about local connections and more strictly concerned about ability, because the opportunities will be there for successful candidates in any event. By contrast, a set somewhere like Cardiff or Newcastle will still clearly want to recruit an able candidate, but knowledge and experience of the local area may actively assist a pupil in growing a practice at those sets. It will also be more important for smaller sets that the interview panel are happy that you are someone that will get on with other members in terms of personality, which can influence the decision, whereas it is less important relatively speaking if a set has a lot of barristers. Smaller regional sets may also look for a local connection to reduce the chance that a candidate will simply move to a different set when they have finished pupillage (surprisingly, Chambers don't like wasting money on pupils that do not become productive tenants).

Of course all of that is variable and, to an extent, conjecture. Really the appropriate advice is to put yourself in the shoes of the sets that you are or will be applying to, and realistically consider what they will be looking for. It is certainly appropriate as part of the process to take that into consideration when deciding where to do the BPTC. Just as a matter of common sense you have a decent chance of coming into contact with barristers while you are doing the BPTC. So if you want to practise in Manchester, for example, it makes a lot of sense to do the BPTC in Manchester. The fact that you have done that will not in and of itself secure you pupillage in that city, but it may be noted on applications, and from a practical perspective you're more likely to meet and form links with barristers from the area you want to practise in, which can only be a good thing.

Short answer? Local connections or commitment to the area is one of the many, many variables that may or may not play a part in applications that you may make. It is certainly worthy of some consideration, but will have to be placed into context with the extensive list of other factors that you'll be taking into consideration with the choices that you make.