The Student Room Group

Re Mini-Pupillage

Hey collegues :smile:

Has anyone applied for mini-pupillages for this summer? I have and received 4 rejections so far. Feel very enthusiastic about it :smile: I'd like to do mini-pupillage in one of the chambers specialising in Public, Media or Human Rights law. Any advices probably, comments, sharing experience?.. (preferably bad experience as it will make me feel better:smile:
I have good CV by the way and winner of mooting competition at Kingston uni, but still rejected..Sad.:frown:
The problem is that mini-pupillage is not an optional for those who intend to become barristers and if i don't get it in my second year, my career prospects definitely aren't bright and spectacular..so feel quite desperate now.
Reply 1
Competition is fierce for Mini-Pupillages - especially in the University holidays.

Keep trying... :smile: Is there anyway you could apply during term-time...? I know friends who have had much more joy when they've specified more unpopular dates...
Reply 2
i did a mini pupilage at garden court chambers (one of the leading for human rights), didnt realise there was any competition
Reply 3
U will need a mini-pupiliage to be a barrister but it is difficult to get without contacts.

Are you in ur first yr or 2nd?

As for garden court chambers, they dont have competition becasue they do mini-pupiliages randomly, people send in apps, they number them, certain numbers are picked out and whoever gets picked out gets offered a mini-pupiliage.

http://www.2gardenct.law.co.uk/index.php/2gt/pupillage/mini_pupillages

maybe you should try that?? you have just as good a chance as anyone??
Reply 4
I know a friend of mine who is not exactly the best of all when it comes to mooting but still managed to grab the attention of Nigel Pasco QC when he visited Southampton Solent University of all places...Seems like he's on his way up, somehow. So yeah being friendly with Barristers in practise does help a lot. Think of it as a social club that you keep knocking on to get in.
I did mini-pupillages at;

No.1 Serjeants' Inn
3 Hare Court
9 Stone Buildings
5 Pump Court
17 Bedford Row
Queen Square Chambers

Just applied with CV and letter.
Reply 6
One question will this be your first law related work experience? If so it is often worth building up to mini-pupillage applications by having other legal experience on your CV, rather than instantly applying to a top ranked chambers in the field. It shows that you are being thoughtful and mature with your career choice, and also it can mean that you make the mistakes here rather than on the mini-pupillages themselves.

Try a few local solicitors firms for a one-week (unpaid) placement- just send your CV and covering letter. If you are lucky you may go to court and meet counsel, who in turn may give you a mini-pupillage. If not you can enthusiastically mention this legal experience and how you would now like to see the advocacy side of law in action on your next round of mini-pupillage applications.

As for mini-pupillages which chambers did you apply for? You really need a spread of both specialisations, and where the chambers are ranked (the Legal 500 is good for this). If let us say your four were: Matrix, Doughty Street, Blackstone, and 4-5 Gray's Inn I wouldn't get too downhearted; you really need a spread of applications ranging from not very well known criminal sets (that also deal in some HR work) to the leading Public law sets. Don't be afraid to apply for 8-10, it is inevitable that a number will turn you down, others that may wish to have you might not be able to accommodate you, and may ask for you to come back at Christmas, or even next year. For most chambers a CV and covering letter is enough- just keep on sending them out until you finally get something (of course tailoring the letter to each chambers using the relevant buzzwords from their websites).

The Bar is a career where almost everybody takes a few knocks getting into it- but perseverance is key.
Reply 7
PDJM
If let us say your four were: Matrix, Doughty Street, Blackstone, and 4-5 Gray's Inn I would get too downhearted...

Ditto. Or the grand mother of all: Brick Court.
Inquisitive
Ditto. Or the grand mother of all: Brick Court.


The tenancy rate for Brick Court is ridiculous.
Reply 9
Thanks for the reply, I've got some new thoughts about it..
Basically apart from good mooting experience mini-pupillage would be my first more or less serious legal experience. I did apply to many chambers and keep doing it, mixing them all: from lowest to the top. It is tough without contacts, but I'll keep trying.
I also considered mini-pupillage in off-peak times of the year, but the problem was that just a few of them offered m-p at non-holidays periods.
I was naive enough to think that "winner of the mooting competition" would look heavy on my cover letter..Turns out that nobody gives a damn. They expect some legal experience in top chambers, but realistically what can you expect from a 2-nd year law student, except mooting and participation or running university's law or bar societies? FRU? Oh yeah :cool:
Reply 10
LuverlyLawyer
I did mini-pupillages at;

No.1 Serjeants' Inn
3 Hare Court
9 Stone Buildings
5 Pump Court
17 Bedford Row
Queen Square Chambers

Just applied with CV and letter.


===============

Yeap, if I were Bristol Uni student, probably wouldn't have to worry about mini-pupillages :smile: