Change in Pupillage Awards

Not that I'm aware of. Sets make decisions as to the pupillage(s) they offer and the remuneration/minimum earnings prior to them being advertised, and those are based on a range of factors including need and budget. I can't imagine why a set would choose to increase an award solely because it's decided the award for the following year will be higher.

Not that I'm aware of. Sets make decisions as to the pupillage(s) they offer and the remuneration/minimum earnings prior to them being advertised, and those are based on a range of factors including need and budget. I can't imagine why a set would choose to increase an award solely because it's decided the award for the following year will be higher.

Hi Jamie. Thank you for your regular contributions here. Just found this thread as I am in a similar position to OP. Imagine this is likely clutching at straws but do you think it’s even worth asking in a situation where you would be completing pupillage at the same time as somebody whose award is a sizeable amount greater than yours? I secured a place to start next year in the last cycle, the award at my chambers has now been raised substantially for 2027 and I know that in previous years they have been keen to bring people’s start date forward a year if the offerees are in a position to begin at that time. So I could be doing pupillage at the exact same time as someone else who is getting paid much more which would be irritating, though of course I know it’s a bit of a ‘first world problem’ given I am in the privileged position of having a place secured.

There's not going to be any harm in asking, but I would expect to be knocked back, not least because your irritation is based on a scenario that, at this moment at least, remains hypothetical. But as you say, it is also a third world problem. I understand why pupillage awards can be important to those who have never earned significant amounts of money, have bills to pay and may be in substantial debt, but the vast majority of pupils go on to make notably more than their awards within a year or two of securing tenancy. It should not be long at all before any irritation here becomes irrelevant.

Thank you for the response. Yeah, I thought I would wait before asking until June next year to see if I do have a co pupil joining me on what would presumably be the higher award to give the argument more force if that is the case. Though certainly not too optimistic as I have signed a contract. My main point of interest is what you say about there being no harm in asking - it is hard not to feel paranoid that I’ll be perceived as greedy or something and get off on the wrong foot, so you don’t think I need to worry about that?

There's some risk, but I don't think it's a significant one. Even if it causes a couple of people to raise an eyebrow, it's the sort of thing that is likely to be fell forgotten by the time you've actually got into the swing of your pupillage.