I think just take a deep breath and try your best. Quite a lot of what is being tested in these interviews is how agile are you in your thinking, how responsive you are to new thoughts and ideas, how adaptable you are to changing circumstances and how unflappable you are in circumstances where a new idea is being introduced. Make sure you have properly understood what it is really like to work at that set and/or in that practice area (broadly described:for example my chambers does construction. Make sure you are not going to be making a misstep by suggesting that they do work that they do not do. 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). Others will have friends or family in chambers, or relatives in the judiciary. In addition to pupillage questions, you may be asked to undertake practical exercises as part of your pupillage interview process. Here is a short list of competencies for the Bar: Getting into the Bar requires resilience, adaptability and determination. Used by Microsoft as a unique identifier. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Tagged: pupillage, pupillageapplications, pupillagegateway, pupillageinterview, bptc, btc, aspiringbarristers, aspiringbarrister, silk, junior, establishedpractitioners, theBar. I was a disaster. Its important to know your CV inside-out and to be prepared to demonstrate hard evidence of how your skills can add value to the chambers you are interviewing with. ), focuses on tips from juniors and more established practitioners. According to student feedback, the most common exercise is an advocacy test of some description, or a presentation. Keep up to date with the legal news and changes affecting the areas in which you intend to specialise. When you are thinking of examples, it is almost inevitable that you will gild the lily slightly. Point 8 simply reminds me of The Hitch-Hikers Guide to the Galaxy when it says: The nearest approach the Guide makes to this matter is on page seven-thousand-and-twenty-three, which includes the words expect the unexpected. This advice has annoyed many Hitch-Hikers in that it is A glib, and B a contradiction in terms. . The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Discover what a first-round pupillage interview really looks like. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Temperament/personality: the ability to remain calm, objective and confident while working under pressure with complex or unfamiliar material. In the gap year between the pupillage application window reopening, keep engaging with . Identify them and work on them. Tip 5: You only need one good day. Are you reactive, defensive or dismissive? The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed. P - Preparation When you think about interviews from the point of view of the interviewer, they will have heard most answers before. These are some of the most widely debated topics in law, both historically and today. Surely, the least chambers can do to support those battling incredible odds to try and enter a profession which is becoming harder and harder to enter every year, is to provide feedback to those who fall at the final hurdle. The right answer to this question (at least if I am interviewing) is to show you understand what work junior tenants at the chambers do (probably not something you can find out from the website go to chambers events/law fairs etc and ask) and explain convincingly why this kind of work interests you. Tailor your reading accordingly. If you fabricate, we will find you out. The ability to think on your feet and cope under pressure. 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. Tip 2: Structure your answers. Used to track the information of the embedded YouTube videos on a website. Take a moment to think about the question that you have been asked before answering. Failing that, tickling the ego of your interviewers with a non-grovelly acknowledgment that the chambers is a leading set (all sets like to consider themselves leading) in the particular area of practice is a reasonably safe line. If there is a case coming up, go and see if you can sit in it. Result Lastly, tell the interview panel about the results of your actions and what those results say about you as a candidate. In case you have not read the About section of my website, I initially embarked on a career at the Bar. Should foreign criminals be deported after serving their sentence? Its important to prepare questions for the chambers with which you are interviewing. LOLZ! You will deserve everything you get. All of the above. It sounds obvious, but nerves in interview upend the most poised performers in your advocacy classes. For example, the recent 2022 Johnny Depp and Amber Heard libel case could be a good one to cover. Tip 3: Be nimble. Nepotism and inherited privilege shouldnt have their place at the modern Bar, but they linger. 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. Have something interesting to say when . The purpose of the cookie is to enable LinkedIn functionalities on the page. Here you can showcase your advocacy skills and other skills that you have which a good barrister would use. Check the news for law angles. 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. However, as is so often pointed out, resilience is key and rejections are a natural part of such a competitive process, so, its something you have to try and get used to. This question is an opportunity to demonstrate that you are a team player. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. The first is undoubtedly preparation. Ask for feedback from unsuccessful interviews, and use anything constructive, but dont let a run of rejections cause you to lose heart. There may be other reasons for it, but sometimes we just do not spot your potential. Action Next, describe the specific actions that you took as a team and the contribution you made individually. I received no response to this email and therefore, sent a further email on 20 May, once again asking for feedback from the panel, and checking they had received my previous correspondence. This question is asked to assess how diplomatic you can be and argue a case sensitively and professionally without feeling conflicted. Where it says, in those now notoriously large and famously friendly letters, Dont Panic.. As an advocate, your very purpose is to convince the Court that you have the better case; an interview is no different. A diverse profession representative of those who use the Bars services is a virtue b. Tip 5: At the end of an interview, we tend to ask if you have any questions for us. Its important to clearly explain why you have chosen a specific law to change and draw on oral and written advocacy skills to argue your reason for changing that law. 30 pupillage interview questions (plus example answers) When you're done with your law degree and want to become a barrister or advocate, the next stage is often a pupillage. The pupillage statistics speak for themselves. The second is developing a solution which you know helps you to calm down this is different for everyone. This is feedback that you cannot get in any other way. Now, just to give you some background about how this particular article came about - last month, I collaborated with six juniors at the Bar. Written feedback is available for applicants who reach the interview stage - any request for feedback must be made within seven days of the outcome of the interview. Browse all legal jobs in one place anytime anywhere. Give yourself a pat on the back because it means you are doing something right. littlelegsldn. If you have reached the interview stage, you are already well on your way to securing a pupillage. Instead, you will be expected to present a logical, well-presented and well-structured argument to address a hotly debated topic relating to law. You are expressly prohibited from electronically storing any material found here or republishing it by any means. Typically, sets will have first and second round interviews. Because most barristers are self-employed, chambers act more as a collection of individuals than a corporate entity. Registered in England and Wales with Company Number 08037587. When answering this question, you must make it personal to you and immediately refer to your experiences to back up your reasons for wanting to be a barrister. I interviewed at Shearn Delamore (Kuala Lumpur) in Mar 2018. They know what they do. Remember, one of our skills it to detect a liar from miles away and to hone in and kill. You are the client, what are you advocating for? So if you have prepared, you will be able to give good answers, and the panel will be willing you on the whole time. How do we force cowardly murderers to face up to what they have done? (Life at the Bar is much the same.) Tip 1: Pause for thought. Facebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisements to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin. Perhaps role-play something similar with your friends. This is intended to assess how you perform under pressure. If youre seduced by the idea of parading about in a wig, bands and a gown, grow up. Google them and everyone. However, despite this, I found out that I had been unsuccessful at 3pm on 7 May by email, having stared obsessively at my phone all day, waiting to learn of the decision. 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. See our top tips on commercial pupillage . 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. To do this, I would suggest two things. Some take a sadistic pleasure in setting you Total Wipeout style obstacle courses at a seconds notice. No legal questions or knowledge required. When is human trafficking not human trafficking? When it comes to feedback, it's always good to have a few examples of interview feedback ready to go. If you have any questions about pupillage or mini-pupillage do please email us on pupillage@twentyessex.com. The third is remembering that although interviews always feel like the panel are trying to trip you up or trick you, theyre not. Recognise your achievement. While considering other careers is not a problem, you should answer by demonstrating that you have considered other careers that involve some aspect of the law or require skills that are transferable to the legal profession. They want to know you are interested in their work. You might be asked to give your view on a current legal issue whichyoufind interesting (ie you pick the specific topic). The people the panel remember from the interview were the ones who gave clear, compelling, insightful answers to our questions, not the people with wacky hobbies. But there will almost always be a tangential diversion into matters of non-law, often preceded by a vicious, Tell us more about yourself. Can you deal with difficult questions from the panel? Tip 7: If you have special circumstances that need to be taken account of, do not hide it away. Your response to some questions will be deliberately challenged by the interview panel. Others might feel like they know what they want to do and may opt for very niche areas. Every answer you give should come with examples of things that you have done at university, during work experience, in your spare time and in general life. This cookie is set by LinkedIn and used for routing. Have you identified the key points in the problem? Tip 3: When it comes to the actual interview, different chambers have different modes of interview. Be yourself. You need to know this answer off the top of your head, but practice making it sound spontaneous and sincere. If you narrow down your options too much, you might be missing opportunities for yourself. Don't squander a pupillage interview to test out your interview skills. Going out for a walk. The application process begins with a two-day mini pupillage (or if necessary a virtual mini pupillage of one and a half days). Practical exercises based around legal problems are quite common, according to feedback we receive from students. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. If you are unsuccessful at interview, always ask for feedback so that you . 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. In reality, prepare for the unexpected is fairly useless advice; the best antidote for this kind of stuff is experience. Don't be too arrogant "when I get pupillage here I will". You will always do your best when you are relaxed and enjoying the challenge with which you are faced. You will then forget everything you went through before. If you get offered pupillage, you can start making enquiries, I think its a bit pointless otherwise. In fact, the very best advice it has to offer in these situations is to be found on the cover. There will be a lot of law chat. Applications for pupillage with Mountford Chambers commencing in 2024. Used by Google DoubleClick and stores information about how the user uses the website and any other advertisement before visiting the website. *Please bear in mind this was five years ago, a lot has changed since then and there are plenty of resources and organisations you can reach out to for assistance these are detailed in the article below. But it shouldnt be beyond your wit to come up with a couple, just to keep the conversation flowing. If not, scour the chambers website for self-congratulatory guff about ethos and values and try to pass those off as your own. Just do your best. The interview procedures adopted by chambers can be very varied. The pupillage application process continues as hundreds of aspiring barristers prepare for interviews this month online and in person. First, do your research about the chambers you have an interview with so you know what their practice areas are very well. Well the Pupillage gateway website has opened for viewing. This is your opportunity to ask questions about how they cover the specific areas of law youre interested in as part of your pupillage, and to ask about the culture and the wider opportunities available to you. candidates for interview; and 7 May: Pupillage offers are made. For example: You have accepted pupillage with one set of chambers. Luck is the clincher. 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. This is in the hope that the small suggestion I make below for improving the process for applicants (and, as I see it, raising the standards of the profession as a whole), will be considered. My brilliant colleague in Chambers, Adam Constable QC, says that as a barrister you should be on average 30% nervous all the time. This helps your audience to follow the train of your reasoning which is how we persuade judges. 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. I just dont seem to have any. This cookies is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos. Debate-related pupillage interview questions are more difficult to prepare for, but you wont be expected to solve a specific problem in two minutes. It does not store any personal data. However, the fact that you are a decorated Morris dancer, or were thrashed by Daphne and co on Eggheads, or once interviewed Mike Tyson for your student newspaper with the opener (and closer), For our readers who may not have heard of you, what do you do? these will remain with the panel afterwards. This question is asked deliberately to gauge how you would respond to criticism. Another thing to keep in mind is that oral advocacy and written advocacy are very different. Many will have impressive previous careers, either in law or outside, and as a twenty-something BPTC graduate, it is easy to be gripped by inferiority. It does not correspond to any user ID in the web application and does not store any personally identifiable information. The purpose of this cookie is to synchronize the ID across many different Microsoft domains to enable user tracking. This website is witty, it is erudite, it is hard-hitting, it is focused and it is awesome.. However, dont ask questions you should know the answer to; chambers will often provide a great deal of information about pupillage on their website. The short answer is that it isnt possible to keep your nerves wholly in check and nor do you need to. This way, you can give feedback that is specific, relevant, and concise. Tip 5: Be engaging. We also received over 50 requests for an article on tips for pupillage interviews. 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. With a twitter and LinkedIn profile, you can see what people are doing in their professional and personal life. Stand your ground under pressure from smug interviewers, but be prepared to make concessions if your argument is expertly blown apart. Thu 30 May 2013 04.00 EDT. Use this guide to discover some of the pupillage interview questions you could face, and how to respond. Use this as another opportunity to show your enthusiasm and to find out about the kind of work you might be involved in. Note from Arooj: other resources include reaching out to organisations such as Bridging the Bar and BME Legal. These attributes are essential to practice at the Bar, and you need to show the panel that you possess them. Read about the steps involved in becoming a barrister here. Recently, in a series of tweets on the @ExcPupillage account some of my top tips for pupillage interview preparation were shared. But because that is the case, expecting people to be in the same country, let alone close vicinity, that far in . One set referred to this as "sparkle". You have the advantage of the panel when it comes to your interviews. You are always better of taking a moment and giving a well-structured, persuasive answer, than answering hastily. So elaborate, do not fabricate. Tip 2:Research what barristers say about the set/their practice area. Debate-Related Pupillage Interview Questions. Pupillage interview season is looming. It sets a unique ID to embed videos to the website. The second point is that 30% is enough so that you are motivated to do lots of prep work, check everything and pay meticulous attention to detail. The format of the exercise will differ from chamber to chamber, but will likely require you to demonstrate: Advocacy and presentation skills. 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. To prepare for your interview, you are strongly advised to do the following: It is common for sets of chambers to give you a legal problem to present or a topic to discuss at interview. 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 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. Interview. And if it doesnt work out, there are plenty of other more interesting and worthwhile jobs to do. Bring your personal and family life experiences to interview and into your This, Im afraid, is the reality. Research the chambers . Law Work Experience: Your Guide to Success, Pupillage: a Guide for Aspiring Barristers, changed the way the legal system has to operate, How to Land a Pupillage Event: 5 Things I Learned. Or are you proactive, responsive and adaptable? Can you think logically and present your arguments succinctly and persuasively? How do you cope with being turned down? China tea-pot, warm smiles, civil conversation. Tip 2: It can be a daunting experience to be presented in front of a panel of barristers asking questions.So it can be helpful to set yourself at ease. Even though I am now actually a Trainee Solicitor at Clifford Chance, I am a huge believer in making the legal profession accessible for all (be it for aspiring barristers or aspiring solicitors). Find an area of law or a case within the last year which is problematic and . 1. It seems that it is equally applicable to pupillage interviews. It seems to me that you write a good deal about the lack of resources in the court system, including the lack of trained personnel. Watch Rebecca, Shanthi, Max and Colm, all recent ULaw BPTC students with pupillage, under. Another set, which you prefer and have always wanted to join, then makes you an offer a week later. Your answer should be sincere, and perhaps you can draw on your experiences of seeing a good barrister in action in Court who you thought demonstrated great character when handling a difficult case. We ask any questions? at the end, but most people say no and personally Im not impressed by question-askers. Together, we essentially shared our Dos and Donts of Pupillage Applications (which can be accessed here). Do you mind if I take a second to think about that question? obviously dont make the silence too long but its totally fine to ask this. However, there are certain qualities that chambers tend to look for in prospective pupils. This cookie is used to store the language preferences of a user to serve up content in that stored language the next time user visit the website. Before the interview. Presidents of University Law Societies are ten-a-penny. The purpose of the cookie is to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. Tip 2: Play the game and give the Sets you are interviewing at what they want. In fact its mostly pretty dull and disappointing. Line up a few of these during your interview prep. just to make sure they could give you detailed information to help you succeed. Should attempted suicide be criminalised. None of you are likely to be a senior judge in junior form. Now you need to prepare. It is also about being able to balance intellectual competence with common sense and pragmatism. So it can be helpful to set yourself at ease. . You do not have to pretend you are a barrister giving advice to clients". A common interview trick is to ask you to argue one side of a debate, before immediately inviting you to argue the opposite. community colleges with wrestling programs, man killed in jamaica yesterday,
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