The Pupillage Interview/Acceptance/Rejection Thread 2018

As with previous years, I'll try to keep scanning this thread to chip in when I can be of assistance, although that doesn't happen too often in these threads on the whole.

For those who have general queries, you can always post in the AMAA thread if the mood strikes you (https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=3520355).

And yes, I know I promised in the last thread that I would put up a post at some point with tips and information based on my involvement in the pupillage process from the Chambers side of things. I haven't forgotten, I just haven't had the time. Hopefully I'll be able to put something together in time to be of help to those making applications this year.

Beyond that, good luck everyone.

The reason I say this is because I remember in one of my first interviews, I was asked "convince us that you would be happy to go to our closest
county court on a cold October morning". Quite honestly, I'd only been in a county court once at that stage and had no idea really what to reply!
At the time of my last interview, I'd been in well over 50 different ones and was able to answer all these types of questions.

Hi all!

Very onboard with this thread.

I'm going for EU / International / Commercial in London.

Is anyone applying for LLMs/BCL in parallel to pupillage application? Is this recommended?

I wouldn't think it can be "recommended" or otherwise, it's really up to you. Depending on your circumstances, you may have a year to fill before pupillage. You may as well fill it with a masters if you can afford it. Of course if you don't get pupillage for the next two years, then your applications on three years' time will hopefully have a distinction at LLM/BCL on them. That will help :-) But if you get pupillage now (or even next year), then it won't affect your applications, will it? It will just be the question of how you spend the year.

I'm not applying because I can't afford it, but if I could I would; I'm sure it's worthwhile and interesting.

Thankfully, I can afford it. I'm using LLM/BCL as a back-up plan in case I don't get pupillage - very likely indeed - so I'm taking care with the LLM apps. I just wonder whether a failed pupillage app will preclude or prejudice an application for the following year? Most websites don't indicate one way or another.

The only sets I know of which have such policy are Maitland (re-applying once only) and Keating (no re-applying if you've been interviewed -- but OK if you've been rejected on paper).

As you may be able to tell, I applied unsuccessfully last year. I specifically asked every set at which I interviewed (apart from the two above whose policy is explicitly stated), and not once was I told that repeat applications were not welcome.

They know the game, especially the sets for which you're going. By the time places like One Essex Court or Blackstone whittle it down to their final 10, they will get 10 people who all could be good pupils. But they can only choose four. It would not make much sense for them to bar those whom they deemed good enough for a final interview from re-applying.

Very good rationalisation. Noted, and I'm further encouraged to try the gateway this year. First time going through, so I'll be cashing in all my luck if I'm to be successful. Best of luck to you. Where will you be applying, if you don't mind my asking?

Thanks, and good luck to you.

I will be applying to chancery and tax sets first, and then the commercial sets via Gateway. I suspect my list will largely be the same as yours.

One thing that I am doing this year is applying more widely. I only put in 14 applications last year (5 before Gateway and 9 on Gateway), but I came up short, so I'm casting my net wider this year. So where last year I only applied to the big three commercial chancery sets, this year I'm also applying to smaller / specialist places.

Okay, sounds good. 14 sounds like a lot - more than I was planning on this year. I'll see how I go with applications and might add some as a I along. Cheers

Many people put in a lot more. I suppose it depends on how strong a candidate you are. If you are truly exceptional, i.e. you have the top starred first of your year, plus some prizes, plus say you're national level at a sport, plus say something like an internship at the ECJ -- then you're probably guaranteed interviews across the board. If you have any less, then probably you won't get 100% interviews. It's just the way it is currently at the commercial / public / chancery Bar.

I've asked my mini pupil supervisors at places like Essex, Fountain, Pump Tax, 3VB -- not a single one got interviews everywhere they applied. And they're currently practising successful barristers at those sets.

I cab only speak from personal experience, and anecdotally from talking to people over the last two years. I have decent academics (non-law first, distinction at masters, some prizes and scholarships, a few publications in research journals (not student ones), distinction at GDL), but I was not interviewed at 5 sets of those 14. Academics are not enough unless you're a true star, because everyone has good ones.

Your application form has to impress the reader overall, but it's hard to get it right. That's why I think it's sensible even for good candidates to put in more applications. But take all this with a grain of salt: after all, I do not have pupillage.

Thanks, and good luck to you.

I will be applying to chancery and tax sets first, and then the commercial sets via Gateway. I suspect my list will largely be the same as yours.

One thing that I am doing this year is applying more widely. I only put in 14 applications last year (5 before Gateway and 9 on Gateway), but I came up short, so I'm casting my net wider this year. So where last year I only applied to the big three commercial chancery sets, this year I'm also applying to smaller / specialist places.

I think this is a sensible course and it is one that I would advise everyone to adopt whether it is their first run through or not (and no matter what area of practice they want to go into).

Apply everywhere that you would be happy to do a pupillage, not just to your 'dream sets'. There are only a tiny number of candidates a year who are so good that they are virtually guaranteed to get interviewed everywhere and to have their pick of which offer to take. I think in the year I applied (I am now a pupil) I made 12 non-gateway applications and would have made a couple more if I had not received an early offer.

I ghosted this thread last year for chambers' updates and I wondered whether it would be feasible to collate the updates provided here into an easier to digest live-tracker. Would there be any interest in this?