Not everyone is able to gain a tenancy in a chambers at the start of their career which is right for them for the whole of their life at the bar. Inevitably people develop their practices in the areas of work that interest them most and this may not sit easily with the direction that their current chambers is looking to go.
As you can see from our web site we have four clearly defined areas of work
If you are a barrister practicing in one or more of these areas of law we would be very pleased to hear from you. Please ring our Senior Clerk, Jay Fullilove (0207 421 1301) for a confidential chat first if you wish. All applications should be directed to Jay in the first instance preferably by email: jfullilove@landmarkchambers.co.uk
We have a modern building in the heart of Fleet Street with room to grow. We have confidence in our future - do you in yours?
We hope that time spent with us as a mini-pupil will give you valuable insight into the realities of life at the Bar in the areas of law in which we practise and of course life in Landmark Chambers in particular. We offer approximately 50 mini-pupillages per year of between 3-5 days duration.
We do not assess mini-pupils in any way and mini-pupillage does not form part of our pupillage selection process. Our pupillage selection is through OLPAS.
To help ensure you get the most out of your time with us we will assign you to a junior member of Chambers to act as a mini-pupil supervisor for the week. They will be responsible for ensuring that you see a broad cross-section of work.
As far as possible we will place you with someone practising in an area, or areas, in which you are interested. The aim is to give you a chance to see the type of work that you would experience as a junior tenant. Given the importance of written work we may be able to give you the opportunity of writing a skeleton argument for example but this would not be assessed.
We operate three mini-pupillage seasons per year: February-March; May-June and October-November. There are approximately 15-20 places available for each season. If you would like to apply, please send a full CV with a covering email to minipupillage@landmarkchambers.co.uk explaining why a mini-pupillage here would be helpful to you. Because of the limited number of places available preference is given to third year law undergraduates or those on the CPE course.
Please note the deadlines for applications are as follows:
February - April 2012: 31 December 2011
May - June 2012: 31 March 2012
October - November 2012: 31 August 2012
For more information on mini-pupillage, please contact Steven McLaren on 020 7421 1344, or email SMcLaren@landmarkchambers.co.uk
Chambers is a member of the Pupillage Portal System and therefore all applications for pupillage are considered in accordance with this scheme. If having read what follows you still have questions please contact us or alternatively visit our website and listen to our pupillage podcast: www.landmarkchambers.co.uk
Our ethos
We are committed to providing our pupils with relevant, constructive and considerate training. Our Diversity Policy and Diversity Committee actively ensure that all pupils are treated with courtesy, respect and without discrimination of any kind.
Award
We offer up to three pupillages a year, each of 12 months duration normally starting in September/October each year. Our current award is £40,000 per pupil, paid monthly in arrears. Up to £12,000 may be taken as an early drawdown prior to the start of your pupillage year. This is not means tested. Your award is intended to assist you generally but in addition we will help with exceptional travelling expenses and hotel bills if you have to be away on a long case for some time.
Structure of your pupillage
Your pupillage here is divided into four 3 month seats with each seat spent with a different supervisor. Wherever possible we take into consideration any interests that you might have in a particular area of law in which we specialise.
During your pupillage there are four formal exercises (three written and one oral) and, along with individual feedback from your supervisors, we will provide more formal feedback sessions after 3 and 6 months. We aim to reach a decision by mid-July as to whether you will be offered a tenancy or not.
In your second six months you will be in court on average once a week on your own account, usually in the County Court on small applications, thereby gaining valuable advocacy experience. Any money earned by you in your second six you may keep and is in addition to your pupillage award.
We encourage you to work for others and we will often send you to work with a silk or senior junior on more complex cases. In addition we place all pupils with a silk for a two week period during their pupillage. These arrangements enable you to see a wide variety of work and allow more members of Chambers to get to know you. This helps us in the final decision as to whether to offer you a tenancy.
After the decision
We believe in giving our pupils training of the highest quality. We have a very good record of helping our former pupils to find third six pupillages or tenancies elsewhere. Those who do not remain at the Bar often have successful careers in other legal positions.
Click here to read "Pupillage at Landmark" by Emma Harling-Phillips.
