Mini-Pupillage for solicitor?

I've been doing mooting at Uni and have been fortunate enough to get through to the internal final. I went to support a couple of other people today in an external moot. Our side lost, but the judge, a local criminal barrister, was impressed and offered one of them a mini-pupillage if she wanted one (he also offered them to both the winning side, and the other guy had already done a mini-pupillage with the firm).

At this point the one other person there from the uni, who was timing the submissions said that she would also like to be a barrister and could she get a mini-pupillage? He told her to write to him and they'd talk. Anyway, I kept quiet. Reason being that although I enjoy mooting, I want to be a solicitor not a barrister. However, I've been thinking and I know mini-pupillage's can be quite competitive to get onto. I think I would have a good chance of getting one if I wrote to him, especially since he was impressed my the mooting today (even though I was not a part of it).

Do you think it would be worth having a go and writing to him to ask for one? He is in charge of pupillage's in the firm and seemed perfectly happy to offer them to people today. Would it be too forward of me to remind him we met at the external moot? And is it even worth getting a mini-pupillage if I don't want to be a barrister? I figured it would be good experience, regardless.

Reply 1

chalks

13

Definitely go for it. The worst that can happen is that the barrister turns you down because he has already committed to providing others with the mini-pupillage.

I should write and explain how much you've enjoyed the mooting and, whilst to date you've only considered being a solicitor, you'd like the opportunity to see first hand what the barrister's profession is like. If you get the place, and you don't like it, it still looks good on the CV. Who knows, you might suddenly realise that this is your calling in life!

Reply 2

Vohamanah

OP

16

Thanks for the advice, I will do so. :smile:

Reply 3

dragon_1706

I'd definitely go for it. I have a friend who did a mini-pupillage because she wasn't sure whether she wanted to be a solicitor or barrister, but as a result of the mini-pupillage decided to follow the solicitor route. As chalks said, it still looks good on the CV and could be useful in interviews if they ask why you want to be a solicitor - you immediately have another career to compare it with.

Reply 4

Llamaaa

15

it's a good idea from your point of view, but a little sad for the people who really want to be barristers and don't get a mini pupillage because you filled up the spot.

Reply 5

Vohamanah

OP

16

helenkr

it's a good idea from your point of view, but a little sad for the people who really want to be barristers and don't get a mini pupillage because you filled up the spot.

But then again it was widely publicised in the law department that the external moot was taking place and I was one of only 2 people who bothered to turn up and therefore to meet the guy and get the chance. Surely it cannot be that unfair if I made the effort and they didn't, regardless of my eventual career aspirations.

Reply 6

Reema

14

pinkpinkuk

But then again it was widely publicised in the law department that the external moot was taking place and I was one of only 2 people who bothered to turn up and therefore to meet the guy and get the chance. Surely it cannot be that unfair if I made the effort and they didn't, regardless of my eventual career aspirations.

To be honest, you could apply that to almost anything. It's unfair to get multiple offers because you're taking up an offer-spot at university, it's unfair to go on vacation placements with multiple law firms etc. Even if it's unfair, well, I suppose - life's unfair.

Mini-Pupillage for solicitor?

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