The Pupillage Interview/Acceptance/Rejection Thread 2012

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1780

jcasey1989

Original post by Lawrasawrus

I've not heard from them either. Or 1 Chancery Lane. Has anyone else?

I applied to both Crown Office and 1 Chancery Lane - heard nothing from either

Reply 1781

Advocatus

Interview invite by email from Sovereign Chambers, Leeds for 7th July. Received at 23.20!

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 1782

vh123

Original post by pupillage1986

Do others ask for feedback from every chambers? After interview I mean. Is there a time limit do you think i.e. do you need to get back to them quite quickly and ask for it? Have people had good experiences with it?

I would ALWAYS ask for feedback. There is no harm in asking. My experience of feedback varies: I have got to second rounds (final 3) and been refused feedback, had very detailed feedback from first rounds and very general/generic from others. You have nothing to lose - the worst they can do is say no!

Reply 1783

WantOne

Original post by LawLegend

If you haven't heard re: interview, then you haven't got one. I rang up and checked. The lovely lady on the telephone has a list. :frown:

Ok thanks. Really really hate rejection by silence.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my HTC Wildfire S

Reply 1784

Mini Pupil

First interview done, good times.

Reply 1785

Satis

Original post by randomstuff

I haven't heard either way, so beginning to wonder if rejection by silence.

They didn't reject by silence last year - I got a very nice rejection email (no sarcasm: it genuinely was a lovely email) on 10th June 2011.

Reply 1786

Lawlad

Interviews with Outer Temple out by email (yesterday)!

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Reply 1787

Oldenoughtobewiser

"Lawlad

Interviews with Outer Temple out by email (yesterday)!

This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App"

Oh No! I wish I hadn't seen this. I was really hopeful for an interview with this set. Has anyone else got an interview/still waiting? PP still lists "under consideration". Just have to hope they are sending invitations in batches.

(edited 11 years ago)

Reply 1788

jcasey1989

Can anyone tell me what to expect from a first round interview with Hardwicke Building?

Reply 1789

Shearn

I asked zenith chambers for first round feedback and got an email saying 'the competition was fierce and the panel felt you did not meet the high standard required by chambers.'

Thanks, when you didn't invite me to the next round I assumed it was because I aced the interview and towered so high above the required standard that it looked like an ant to me.

This was posted from The Student Room's Android App on my iPhone 5

Reply 1790

Evening_Standard

Anyone heard from 3 Temple Gardens (john Coffey) or Furnival chambers? Those are my last two now!

Reply 1791

Mmmbop

Sent my Dyers application (or so I thought) last night at 11.30 only to get an email from hotmail today that the email didn't send. It would be funny if it wasn't so tragic that that represents a potential pupillage interview.

Reply 1792

charly533

Original post by Pupillage123

Guildhall Bristol first round interview invite by email. Has anyone interviewed there before?

Original post by jcasey1989

Can anyone tell me what to expect from a first round interview with Hardwicke Building?

Yes, I interviewed at both last year.

Guildhall - absolutely lovely with the pupils in the waiting area to answer any queries you may have and surprisingly some snacks and wine! I was taken to a room with a list of propositions and told to choose one. I had 30 mins to prepare either for or against that proposition and then 10 minutes to present it to the panel. From my memory that was largely it although there may have been some supplementary questions about my application. The second round had the ethical and other such questions.

Hardwicke - Upon arrival I was given a legal problem and a non-legal argument to prepare. The legal problem was basically to look over and be prepared to be questioned upon it. The non-legal argument asked me to convince the panel of something and then I was challenged on my arguments. There were also supplementary questions about my application. For the second round an ethical problem was sent in advance to prepare.

Hope this helps and best of luck to you both.

Thanks Charly533!

Both sets have been mentioned above at different points and I've also been PM'd by a number of you regarding what ivs are like. In the interests of fairness then, I've decided to simply put them out here. A lot of this might be out of date. Be aware that chambers change their approach year on year. Its just a rough outline of what I have experienced in the past.

2 Bedford Row

Panel: 3 people, all juniors for both rounds
Approach:
At first round you are given an exercise 10 minutes before you go in (a debate topic) you have to prepare 2 points for and 2 against which is to be delivered in front of the panel within EXACTLY 2 minutes. Few very brief follow up questions about you eg. What are your interests? Duration is about 5-7 minutes. They have explained that you have to make a LASTING IMPACT in those 5 minutes. First round they interview more than 80, second is 15 or less. Last year it was a question on whether Bin Laden should have faced trial and if so, where. I was also asked the "describe yourself in a word" question.

At second round you are given an application (plea in mitigation or bail application) to prepare a few days before. After the application, there maybe some follow up questions on your approach. They then have some set questions which they will ask every candidate – What do you think of x legal issue, what do you want to achieve out of pupillage etc.

Overall: Extremely friendly panel. Very good at putting you at ease – they want to see you at your best and the atmosphere is conducive to that.

187 Fleet Street
.
Panel: At first round they interview a fair few and have several different panels going on at the same time. Mine was a 3 person panel of juniors. Second round was more like 10 – 12, with a silk or two to boot.

Approach:
First round: Multiple ethical problems given for you to consider during the interview and how you would respond. Why crime, why us, why you – spent a fair bit of time on this. They will normally ask a slightly different question to end with, eg “IF you could be one character from a film who would it be and why”

Second round: Presented with a list of debate topics (some legal, some to do with current affairs, some just plainly odd) ten minutes before interview. 7 minutes uninterrupted to present – though in my experience they stop and start you. Very detailed analysis of your form and questions based around that.
They have a very set criteria they are judging by for both rounds, an extract from the feedback is below:

Each form is read and marked by
three members of Chambers. Each member scores the application out of 10,
making a maximum of 30 points.
We offered 68 first round interviews. The mark for an interview was 22
out of 30.
At interview, the panel makes its assessment on the following criteria (which are marked out of ten)
Presentation
Articulation
Confidence
Content
General
The mark for a second round was 40

Overall: My impression was that at second round they were very aggressive. You need to read their profiles very carefully and be ready to answer any questions coming from the form.

Reply 1795

Mmmbop

Have people heard from 36 Bedford Row?

Reply 1796

Jessica88

Bar-Hunter, what fantastic and helpful advice. Thank you very much!

: )

Reply 1797

wantobeathebar

I know that this was mentioned earlier in the process but does anybody know how many applicants have passed the IRT test for the CPS legal trainee scheme. Or, are there any numbers released for the numbers being invited to the assessment day once the application shortlist has been completed? I know in past years there have been thousands of applications and am hoping it's not the case for this year.

Also, those that applied later (when the post was reopened for applications) - what stage are you guys up to? Thanks!

Reply 1798

olpasdisliker

Original post by Bar-hunter

They will normally ask a slightly different question to end with, eg “IF you could be one character from a film who would it be and why”

What I've never understood is why something I used to discuss with friends when I was drunk at uni is considered a suitable question for a pupillage interview.

Reply 1799

Bar-hunter

Original post by olpasdisliker

What I've never understood is why something I used to discuss with friends when I was drunk at uni is considered a suitable question for a pupillage interview.

Its pretty simple really. They were students at uni once...they are human beings after all. Hour upon hour of interview, with broadly the same answer to the same questions, they are bored and looking for a bit of a spark. Something that shows them you are an interesting person who has a personality (as well as being able to answer all the standard questions properly)