The Pupillage Interview/Acceptance/Rejection Thread 2014

Hi All,

I went through this awful process twice before getting lucky. I'm currently a second sixer at a London crime set. Just popped back to see how things are going this year.

For what it's worth, my tips are:
- blast Eye of the Tiger (and/or your favourite upbeat song) before going in to each of your interviews.
- be yourself (this is said by everyone but it is VERY true - the only first and second round where I truly relaxed was the place I got pupillage),
- pause and think before answering topical questions - it doesn't matter if you change your mind half way through, as long as you explain why (and the explanation you give is a good one)

I've seen a bit of the debate above re: interview tips, however, I think those who are enterprising enough to come here deserve a bit of a head start.

So, rough formats of first rounds in the years I had interviews (2011 and 2012) (remember they may have changed significantly since then):
9-12 BY - 4/5 on the panel, general CV questions and an ethical question.
Charter - 3 on the panel, general application questions, one topical issue question (mine was LIBOR).
One Paper - 3 on the panel, general questions including 'what sets you apart from everyone else'
Furnival - 3 on panel, they give you a list of topical issues to give a 1 minutes speech on and you pick one (20 mins to prep).
QEB HW - 4 on panel, general CV questions and a multi-layered ethics question.
4 Breams Buildings - 4 on panel, I seem to remember they gave us advocacy in the first round - possibly a bail app, then a topical question (mine was about dealing with crime during the olympics).
Criminal Defence Solicitors - 3 on the panel, most intense first round I had - they give you a written task to do in the 15 minutes before you go in then ask LOTS of intense questions (rate your three best qualities, three worst qualities, why do you want to be an in-house barrister, whats the best thing you've ever done, name a recent judgement that you liked - name three good things about it and three bad things about it).
25 Bedford Row - 2 on panel, bail app and a list of topical questions - you have to prepare all of them and they pick 1 or 2 when you're in there.
2 Hare Court - Interviewed here both years and format very similar. Very short interview - a few easy application questions then one specific topical question (was death penalty for Bin Laden in my first year and jury trials in second).
5 St Andrew's Hill - They gave an exercise to do in the first round, we were given a batch of docs relating to a course of offending, asked to work out what offences to charge the person with and what sentence he might receive.
Carmelite - Also exercise in the first round - I think it was three different topics and you pick the one to do then write three points for and three points against. Was quite an intense interview with one of the panellists playing very bad cop, and the other good cop.
23 Essex St - Interviewed here both years. First year was application questions then a topical question (re the boundaries with child porn vs cartoons), second year was just a general application chat.

If anyone has any questions then feel free to ask, but please do it on the main board rather than PMs.

Anyone heard anything good or bad from 23 Essex street?

Anyone heard anything about St John's Buildings, 18 SJS, Sovereign or Zenith?

Anyone heard anything about St John's Buildings, 18 SJS, Sovereign or Zenith?

Most recent from SJB was them saying they had a ton of applicants and that the sift was just beginning (around 2 weeks ago)

Hi All,

I went through this awful process twice before getting lucky. I'm currently a second sixer at a London crime set. Just popped back to see how things are going this year.

For what it's worth, my tips are:
- blast Eye of the Tiger (and/or your favourite upbeat song) before going in to each of your interviews.
- be yourself (this is said by everyone but it is VERY true - the only first and second round where I truly relaxed was the place I got pupillage),
- pause and think before answering topical questions - it doesn't matter if you change your mind half way through, as long as you explain why (and the explanation you give is a good one)

I've seen a bit of the debate above re: interview tips, however, I think those who are enterprising enough to come here deserve a bit of a head start.

So, rough formats of first rounds in the years I had interviews (2011 and 2012) (remember they may have changed significantly since then):
9-12 BY - 4/5 on the panel, general CV questions and an ethical question.
Charter - 3 on the panel, general application questions, one topical issue question (mine was LIBOR).
One Paper - 3 on the panel, general questions including 'what sets you apart from everyone else'
Furnival - 3 on panel, they give you a list of topical issues to give a 1 minutes speech on and you pick one (20 mins to prep).
QEB HW - 4 on panel, general CV questions and a multi-layered ethics question.
4 Breams Buildings - 4 on panel, I seem to remember they gave us advocacy in the first round - possibly a bail app, then a topical question (mine was about dealing with crime during the olympics).
Criminal Defence Solicitors - 3 on the panel, most intense first round I had - they give you a written task to do in the 15 minutes before you go in then ask LOTS of intense questions (rate your three best qualities, three worst qualities, why do you want to be an in-house barrister, whats the best thing you've ever done, name a recent judgement that you liked - name three good things about it and three bad things about it).
25 Bedford Row - 2 on panel, bail app and a list of topical questions - you have to prepare all of them and they pick 1 or 2 when you're in there.
2 Hare Court - Interviewed here both years and format very similar. Very short interview - a few easy application questions then one specific topical question (was death penalty for Bin Laden in my first year and jury trials in second).
5 St Andrew's Hill - They gave an exercise to do in the first round, we were given a batch of docs relating to a course of offending, asked to work out what offences to charge the person with and what sentence he might receive.
Carmelite - Also exercise in the first round - I think it was three different topics and you pick the one to do then write three points for and three points against. Was quite an intense interview with one of the panellists playing very bad cop, and the other good cop.
23 Essex St - Interviewed here both years. First year was application questions then a topical question (re the boundaries with child porn vs cartoons), second year was just a general application chat.

If anyone has any questions then feel free to ask, but please do it on the main board rather than PMs.

Did any who interviewed at Pump Court over the weekend get told when we are likely to hear back from them?

Any heard from Doughty after going 'under consideration'? Also any news on Doughty international law pupillage starting this year?