Once again, I was at a crossroads and I had no idea what to do. Instead of memorising page-long mathematical proofs, I binge-watched Suits and The Good Wife and read about high profile criminal cases. Thereafter, I applied for a place at the York campus and received a conditional offer which inspired me to complete my undergraduate degree, albeit with a , which I was soon to find out would be a major sticking point for training contract and pupillage applications.
Studying a subject you are genuinely interested in makes it so much easier to put the hours in and retain the necessary information. However, the dreaded birthday eve curse struck again in Fortunately, the staff at the University of Law were incredibly supportive and told me the GDL was my opportunity to make up for my degree classification. I grasped that opportunity with both hands. Wondering how to fund your GDL? After completing my first mini-pupillage at Wilberforce Chambers in Hull, during which I shadowed an exceptionally talented family barrister, my decision was made: I wanted to be a barrister.
Despite everything seemingly falling into place, when it came to my final GDL exams, the anxiety attacks, which I believed were in my past, returned with a vengeance.
I would walk out of an exam, I having barely slept knowing I needed to go home and read my notes for the next. Despite these tribulations, I passed the GDL with a Distinction and I have fortunately not had another anxiety attack since then.
Although initially terrified at the thought of being away from home, it turned out to be the most incredible experience which found me my independence, confidence and my absolute best friend. When I returned from America, I was lulled into a false sense of security by receiving an invite to interview after submitting my first ever pupillage application.
I was, unsurprisingly, unsuccessful and soon thereafter came the all-too-common rejections at both the application and interview stages. Frustratingly, the majority of my feedback was positive so my only option was to keep plugging away. What is a mini-pupillage and how do I get one? Here I gained experience in making submissions, conducting witness examination and communicating with judges, opponents, clients and court staff.
I further grew in confidence, met judges who i may face in the future and developed my research abilities. I am due to start in-house at Pepperells Solicitors in Hull in January and I was offered the role of paralegal in their family law department in the interim.
I am thoroughly enjoying shadowing advocates in both public and private law proceedings and working on financial remedy cases. This experience will be particularly valuable when I start doing my own hearings next year. I feel I am set to benefit hugely from undertaking pupillage and practising as a junior barrister in-house.
I have seen first-hand that when solicitors and barristers operate under one roof and work closely together, there is a much stronger line of communication, benefiting both clients and professionals alike.
Further, in respect of financial stability, there is a consistent stream of work and no concerns as to not receiving payment for months. I have also found that working in-house provides a strong support network that may not always be present in chambers.
At Pepperells, there is always someone to talk to or ask for help if you are anxious or worried about something so you never feel isolated. There is a full social calendar which really helps you to feel included and enables you to escape the stress which can often come with working in the legal field. I really hope my story reassures those who are struggling with anxiety or wondering if they will ever obtain pupillage.
I felt exactly the same for a long time and the day I received my pupillage offer was the best day of my life. The roller-coaster journey I had been on prior finally felt worthwhile. What kind of lawyer would you be? How much do you know about criminal law? There's a quiz to suit all legal interests on our site! Our free guides cover everything from deciding on law to studying and practising law abroad. Search through our vast directory. Explore our events for aspiring lawyers.
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Minis are usually unpaid , though travel and accommodation expenses may be covered. How many mini-pupillages should you do? Don't think that you can impress recruiters by taking a large number of mini-pupillages for the sake of it. Three or four is a good number ; more than six may start to look pointless. However, one exception to this is with assessed mini-pupillages.
If you can't find pupillage, go to a law firm. In fact, a stint as an employed barrister can pay dividends. How much will I be paid? In January the BSB announced the new minimum pupillage awards. Chambers often pay more than the minimum but awards will vary between chambers and practice areas. Pupillage is the final stage of training to be a barrister. Although you will be called to the Bar on passing the Bar course, pupillage is essential if you wish to practise; in this sense it is the equivalent of the trainee solicitor's training contract.
If you didn't go to Oxford or Cambridge, you face an uphill struggle to become a barrister. There are, happily, some exceptions to the rule , with 15 chambers having more junior barristers with non-Oxbridge undergraduate degrees than alumni of good old Cantab or Oxon.
Pros and Cons. A career at the Bar is highly competitive. Applicants can apply for a maximum of 20 pupillages via the Pupillage Gateway. The system requires you to complete standardised application forms for each set. These include: Personal details. Becoming a fully-fledged barrister takes five years - including three years for your law degree, one year for a Bar course and a one-year pupillage in chambers.
Again, add an extra year for a law conversion course if your degree wasn't in law. Although the minimum requirement is a in a first degree , higher grades are more likely to lead to pupillage — the in-work training required to qualify as a barrister. Some degrees can be combined with a vocational Bar training course. Solicitors can obtain 'rights of audience' which enables them to represent clients in court. A career at the Bar requires dedication. If you want to go into this profession for the money, you will be sadly disappointed for the first few years because, like any profession, qualification is only the first step on a long ladder.
You need to be accepted for pupillage, then once you have completed your pupillage, you need to find a Chambers that is prepared to take you on as a tenant.
From there, you have to build up your reputation with solicitors and accept the fact that you will get all the little bits of work that no-one else in Chambers wants until you gradually start getting bigger and better briefs.
It is a long slog, but a very rewarding one. And many of the major banks offer specialised Professional Development Loans uniquely tailored for Barristers new to the profession. Nothing could be further from the truth. The OU is a highly respected institution and, generally, prospective Chambers see the independence, tenacity, commitment and determination that it takes to qualify through distance learning as highly positive assets.
The majority of OU students are either in other careers, or parents or both. What you are doing is amazing compared to your average student. Be proud of your achievement! Find your personal contacts including your tutor and student support team:. Help with accessing the online library, referencing and using libraries near you:. Skip to content. Scan to view online. Help Centre. What did you enjoy about your degree? What did you do after your OU Law degree?
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