This is important because time you go into court, one of you is going to fail because you wont win the case (just take a pause and let the ripple of that realisation drip through). Chambers will expect you to provide details and develop points; they will be put off by vague and unclear answers. For several interviews thereafter, I cleared my throat and proudly declared my thirst for justice, passion for advocacy and burning need to help the helpless, voice the voiceless and improve the unimprovable. They are usually unpleasant experiences (I hated them!) The blunt fact is that everybody being interviewed will have a good 2:1 or 1st class degree. Do some research on the different types of tasks you might be given at a pupillage interview and practise them too. Talking to friends and others who are either applying at the same time or who have just done it. Be familiar with the areas of law that the set practises in and rehearse how to advocate your case for how its work ties in with your own interests and skills. Make sure you are not going to be making a misstep by suggesting that they do work that they do not do. In fact, the very best advice it has to offer in these situations is to be found on the cover. Top tips for pupillage interviews from a current pupil You will always do your best when you are relaxed and enjoying the challenge with which you are faced. Mock interviews. This cookie is to identify the source of a visit and store user action information about it in a cookies. Instead, you will be expected to present a logical, well-presented and well-structured argument to address a hotly debated topic relating to law. Having relevant questions for pupillage interview panels demonstrates that you have a genuine interest in their chambers. Chambers websites, and the individual barristers pages on those websites, are good, but online directories will give you an idea which areas those chambers really have their reputation in. Hold on to your good points tenaciously; concede your bad points gracefully. Watch Rebecca, Shanthi, Max and Colm, all recent ULaw BPTC students with pupillage, under. Mine certainly did, as I was sure I did not want to do crime, but it turns out I love advocacy and my criminal pupillage meant for daily fun and excitement. This cookie is set by Youtube. Please do a mock interview with your Inn before you do a real one. The juniors gave very thorough comments on one of my failed pupillage applications. Deep breaths, slow and considered responses and substituting a brief pause for umm or err or, heaven forfend, like, are mandatory habits. The data collected including the number visitors, the source where they have come from, and the pages visted in an anonymous form. Have you been able to use what you learned yourself, whether in a moot or discussion with a university committee or something else? Go through your whole form, identify all the points you might be asked to elaborate on (these will be points which relate to the selection criteria), and do this for every single one. Why then make it so hard to become a barrister? Mock interviews | Pupillage and how to get it I think the best way to prepare for this kind of question is just to read the broadsheet papers and decide what your view is and why. Ask for feedback from unsuccessful interviews, and use anything . How do you cope with being turned down? Intellect: the ability to grasp complex information and identify key issues quickly and effectively. Also be aware of industry-specific issues that are of no interest to anybody outside the Bar, but of enormous importance inside our bubble. I just dont seem to have any. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". Another set, which you prefer and have always wanted to join, then makes you an offer a week later. A guide to pupillage interviews - Features Your performance at interview plus any presentation or advocacy exercise will be used to assess this. . Can you think logically and present your arguments succinctly and persuasively? It is also acceptable to ask for a minute to compose yourself as a rushed answer looks worse than asking for time to think about your answer. How to approach pupillage interviews Ishan Kolhatkar On 25 May I then received a response which stated that the chambers could not offer any feedback, except to say that "2 of the applicants were a little better and they were successful". P - Practise It is very different to have thought about your answers and even to have them written down but it can feel very different when you say them out aloud. This cookie is used by vimeo to collect tracking information. Interview. Even if its something as simple as, Roughly how long does it take for your junior tenants to start appearing regularly in the Crown Court? If you really cant think of a good question, dont ask a bad one. If you get offered pupillage, you can start making enquiries, I think its a bit pointless otherwise. Upcoming pupillage interview? | Inner Temple Value yourself a. Many thanks to the silks again for their valuable contributions. Tip 5: You will be nervous (if you are human), but try to relax and be normal, without being matey or inappropriately informal. The disdain from the panel was palpable. What separates you from the herd in the eyes of the interviewers is often wholly arbitrary and unexpected. Professor Jo was very kind and shared the link of an extremely detailed talk she did at Gresham on understanding everything to do with getting into the Bar. just to make sure they could give you detailed information to help you succeed. Similarly a candidate with a 2(ii) may score highly in the other category and be shortlisted for interview. Do not wait until that stage until you practise. Task Then specify the task meaning the outcome you were trying to achieve. Before the interview. Reflect on them, learn from them, and move on. Registered in England and Wales with Company Number 08037587. The cookie is used to calculate visitor, session, campaign data and keep track of site usage for the site's analytics report. This cookie can only be read from the domain they are set on and will not track any data while browsing through other sites. Smile. SA'AD'S TOP TIPS INCLUDE: Tip 1: If you get through the pupillage application stage and you are now preparing for a pupillage interview, well done. For example, my husband gave me a mock silk interview the day before my real interview. This is a really loaded question, but one you may have to answer. There may also be limited notice or preparation time (eg, you may be sent the task 20 minutes to an hour before the interview itself). A crucial element of the preparation for an interview is having the right mindset. While second-round interviews will vary, the following are by far the most common when going in for second round interviews. Thu 30 May 2013 04.00 EDT. So incredible, that I had to divide the article into two parts: the first article (this one) focuses on tips from silks (essentially a view from the top); and the second article, which will be released in the near future (so keep a look out! Some pupillage interview feedback. How to Get a Pupillage | A Step-by-Step Guide | The Lawyer Portal One of the things I struggled with in 2017 as an aspiring barrister (especially as an individual that moved to the UK only for my studies) was finding information in terms of what to expect in the application process, how to prepare and the realities of the journey. Look at their website, but not just their website. T - True You must be true to yourself. Used to track the information of the embedded YouTube videos on a website. I cross my fingers and toes and hope that as many of my applications as possible end up in that first and smallest pile - the interview pile. Even if the topic is your Mastermind subject, you win no points for speed. Nor does it matter a jot when youre in front of a judge or jury pleading the unwinnable case (or worse, the eminently winnable). Interested in a future career as a lawyer? If youre seduced by the idea of parading about in a wig, bands and a gown, grow up. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. P - Preparation When you think about interviews from the point of view of the interviewer, they will have heard most answers before. So elaborate, do not fabricate. Chambers usually know this a week before your interview. When you spend countless hours writing and reviewing applications, preparing for interviews, and then waiting anxiously to hear back from chambers, I feel that providing feedback to candidates that are unsuccessful at interview (particularly a second-round interview), should be a minimum requirement. We also received over 50 requests for an article on tips for pupillage interviews. This can seem equally daunting whether you are facing the interview panel across a desk, or they are all peering out at you from your screen. This is usually shown through your academic achievements and publications. According to The Inner Temple, this is a genuine question asked by some chambers interview panels. In terms of nerves that turn into panic, I think there are three solutions. An idiot's guide to navigating pupillage interviews These attributes are essential to practice at the Bar, and you need to show the panel that you possess them. Be conscious of any mistakes, umms or ahs. The __gads cookie, set by Google, is stored under DoubleClick domain and tracks the number of times users see an advert, measures the success of the campaign and calculates its revenue. We only interview pupillage candidates who have completed, or been offered, a mini-pupillage in Chambers. Oh, and under no circumstances ask, Did I get the job?! Just remember, for every failure, the next day there may be a success for you to grab on to. One round of interviews, often the first, may be short and focused on a specific skill such as advocacy or may be focused on a set of questions that are being asked to every candidate. Some sets will hold only one interview for pupillage candidates, but most will hold two. So, for every single pupillage interview you have, really think about who is on the receiving end and prepare with that in mind. Those applying for a specialist pupillage will . Have you identified the key points in the problem? Now, just to give you some background about how this particular article came about - last month, I collaborated with six juniors at the Bar. But dont be arrogant, and dont bullshit to try to preserve the illusion of confidence interviewers are likely to see through that so if you dont know, say so. With a twitter and LinkedIn profile, you can see what people are doing in their professional and personal life. I was a disaster. Presidents of University Law Societies are ten-a-penny. It does not store any personal data. For example, the recent 2022 Johnny Depp and Amber Heard libel case could be a good one to cover. Chambers are usually supportive when it comes to this, but you often have to request. Everyone has bad days. Where it says, in those now notoriously large and famously friendly letters, Dont Panic.. Keep up to date with the legal news and changes affecting the areas in which you intend to specialise. This cookie is set by Facebook to display advertisements when either on Facebook or on a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising, after visiting the website. The purpose of this cookie is to synchronize the ID across many different Microsoft domains to enable user tracking. Tip 4: Bearing in mind that a pupillage interview is a daunting experience, remind yourself that the panel are people who want you to succeed. I have copied in extracts from the talk for your ease of reference, but I would really recommend making the time to watch the full talk. You should approach the interview process confidently. This domain of this cookie is owned by Vimeo. It does not correspond to any user ID in the web application and does not store any personally identifiable information. I was so bad because I thought I had the answers in my head, but I had not practised getting them out. If you keep on trying, you will get there. First, do your research about the chambers you have an interview with so you know what their practice areas are very well. Think of something non-legal (to demonstrate your glorious diversity) on which you have personal experience or strongly-held views, and have it wrapped up and ready to fire in the event it is called upon. But what are they and which one to choose? This is a analytic and behavioural cookie used for improving the visitor experience on the website. 32 Followers. Most experience of life, even if not obviously relevant to practice at the bar, is a learning experience, and could help the panel get to know you as a person. Essential! Tip 4: As difficult as it is, do not care about the outcome. I think the answer is to bear in mind that what the panel is interested in is not what you think but how you think. This is another deliberate question asked by pupillage interview panels to gauge what you think makes a good barrister. I don't think I'd feel this way if most pupillages didn't start a near 1.5 years after the interview.