Can I still be a Q.C. Barrister, if I didn't go to a top-notch private school?

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Chalks has summed up my position admirably.

This may be nepotism. But the only person who knows (other than those directly involved) has chosen to take a stance which means that his version and interpretation of events cannot be investigated.

That is Ben's right. But no Court in the land would accept his account without the detail for which I asked (privately, please note). So we should not do so either. No one is calling Ben a liar. It simply seems to me that his account is not capable of acceptance without verification. The same can be said for lots of things (including my presence here, which quite a lot of you flatly refused to accept until I proved it was me :wink:

) - no big deal.

In the meantime, I do urge those of you considering the Bar not to be put off by anecdotal 'evidence' like this. We are committed to diversity and we mean it. Please, please give it a try and see what your own conclusions are. It would be an unfortunate irony if Ben's assertions had the effect of reducing the field of candidates and thus increasing his own chances of obtaining a pupillage, and I am sure that Ben would not want anything of the kind to happen.

Reply 81

Simon Myerson QC

The above sounds to me like someone getting ready to make excuses for their own failure. Sneering and snarky comments don't actually advance any case in the real world, however clever they may appear to be to their authors.

Reply 82

ben_l

Simon Myerson QC

In the meantime, I do urge those of you considering the Bar not to be put off by anecdotal 'evidence' like this. We are committed to diversity and we mean it. Please, please give it a try and see what your own conclusions are. It would be an unfortunate irony if Ben's assertions had the effect of reducing the field of candidates and thus increasing his own chances of obtaining a pupillage, and I am sure that Ben would not want anything of the kind to happen.

Oh good heavens. Do you really imagine that I would tell people on an anonymous board that an anonymous person had gotten a pupillage through less-than-honest means as part of an absurdly circuitous plan to infinitesimally increase my chances of pursuing a career I only have a vague interest in anyway? Occam's razor anyone?

Reply 83

ben_l

I would probably have a better success rate at discouraging people by just running up to them and shouting DON'T BE A BARRISTER! before they had a chance to react

Reply 84

chalks

ben_l

Ben, I don't think that Simon is suggesting that you have made up this story as some bizarre way of increasing your own chances of a pupillage. That is why he said it would be ironic if that occurred.

I'm still not clear on what the real story is here and I'm not convinced that you're unable to give us more details. Equally, I'm not sure of the reason for your post. If your intention was to warn potential applicants of the existence of nepotism, you must have known that you would be challenged on the story.

Anyway, I think we all agree that this thread has run its course!

I'm away for the rest of the week with work so will catch up on all the the posts next week.

Reply 85

Simon Myerson QC

Ben,

I think if you read what I said you would see that I am not accusing you of anything. I'm not quite sure why you would wish to level such an accusation.

My comment was addressed to those people you might have discouraged. I promise you that I wasn't really thinking of you.

Reply 86

ben_l

The only reason I drew any untoward insinuation from what you said was this part:

"It would be an unfortunate irony if Ben's assertions had the effect of reducing the field of candidates and thus increasing his own chances of obtaining a pupillage, and I am sure that Ben would not want anything of the kind to happen."