Mini Pupillage

The mini pupillage application window for the period April-July 2025 has now closed.  No further applications will be accepted for this period.  The next window for the period September-mid-December 2025 will open on 1 June and close on 30 June 2025

Aim

Encouraging diversity within our chambers and the profession is important to us. Mini-pupillages help those who do not have contacts within the legal profession to gain experience and contacts in the law which will assist them should they decide to apply for pupillage.

The aim of our mini-pupillages is to help you to decide whether to pursue a career at the Bar, to provide you experience of working in our areas of practice and to enable you to gain an insight into what it means to be a barrister at Three Raymond Buildings.

What happens on our Mini-Pupillages?

Due to the large number of applications received, in order to accommodate as many applicants as possible, it has been necessary to reduce the duration of our mini pupillages.  A mini-pupillage at Three Raymond Buildings will now last between 2 and 3 days. During that time, you will shadow barristers in court, ideally each day, in or around London, and across a range of practice areas. We will also try to arrange for you to shadow barristers of a range of calls, so you can see work undertaken at all levels of seniority. As part of the mini-pupillage, you will have an opportunity to be shown around Chambers and to speak with junior tenants or pupils about their experiences.

During your mini-pupillage, you will be given a contact point in the clerks’ room, who will be your first point of contact and will have primary responsibility for arranging where you will be each day. The clerks and chambers staff will assist in ensuring your time with Chambers is as valuable an experience as possible. A member of chambers is also assigned to oversee allocation of mini-pupils and their time in chambers.

Our mini-pupillages unfunded and are not assessed. Members of Chambers are not asked for their feedback about you. However, you should be aware that the barristers have a discretion to provide feedback to the Pupillage Committee if they so wish should you later apply for pupillage.

Eligibility

All individuals over the age of 18, at least in the second year of university, with an interest in becoming a barrister are eligible to apply for our mini-pupillages. Candidates should note that priority will be given to those who are in their final year of university, on a Masters course or enrolled on the GDL or BPTC.

We are unable to offer mini-pupillages or other work experience to applicants who are still at school, but we do work with school-age students on other initiatives.

Confidentiality
You may come into contact with information of a personally confidential and legally privileged nature during your mini-pupillage.  We take our clients’ confidentiality very seriously and will expect you to do the same.  If you are offered a mini-pupillage, we will ask you to sign a simple confidentiality agreement.

Application Process

To apply for a mini-pupillage with us please complete this form and send it, together with your CV, to Donna Garner via e-mail to donna.garner@3rblaw.com.  Mark the subject line ‘Mini-Pupillage Application’.  Please only apply for one of the following application windows:

Please specify when you would prefer to attend your mini-pupillage.  We receive many applications and can only offer a limited number of places, but will do our best to accommodate your preference.  When we receive your application, you will be sent an e-mail confirming safe receipt. At the close of the application window, the forms will be reviewed in accordance with the application criteria set out below. You will be informed of the outcome of your application by e-mail.  We can’t guarantee being able to offer you a mini-pupillage.  Please only do not apply for more than one window within the same application.

Please note that applications will not be acknowledged, accepted or considered if submitted outside the application windows set out above. We are unable to offer mini-pupillages over the Christmas period or throughout August.

Chambers operates within the Equality and Diversity Code in relation to recruitment of both mini-pupils and pupils consistent with the Bar Council Guidelines.  We will retain your data for the purposes of administering our mini-pupillage scheme, and dispose of this data in accordance with relevant Chambers’ data policies.

What We Look For

We will assess your application according to the following criteria:

• Interest in our areas of expertise
• Academic ability
• Commitment to gaining advocacy experience

Any Questions

If you have any questions concerning our mini-pupillages, please do not hesitate to contact Donna Garner on the above email address.