Welcome to the Libertas Chambers pupillage centre

The current application window for pupillage has now closed – please see below for information on applications for 2027 onwards.

Information on the current process for those who submitted an application by 23:59 on 5th August 2026 is below:

We have a place for a 12-month pupillage in criminal defence to commence in the autumn of 2026.

This opportunity is available outside of the standard Pupillage Gateway, with the approval of the Bar Standards Board. We are seeking to recruit relatively quickly, hoping for a start date around October 2026.

A genuine interest in advocacy and the criminal bar is the starting point. We are looking for a dedicated applicant with a good academic record*, judgment, and a flexible approach. Experience in another area of law or profession is not essential but welcome.

*A minimum requirement of an upper-second class degree applies.

This 12-month pupillage is funded, with an award of £45,000 (award plus guaranteed income in second six) plus travel costs outside of your home area.

Interviews will take place in September – first round online on the 19th September 2026, and second round in person in central London on the 26th September.

Please note if you are not available for these dates we will unfortunately not be able to accommodate any alternative dates due to the short time frame.

If you have accessibility needs for application and/or interview please contact our Accessibility Officer: Amanda Kneafsey – akneafsey@libertaschambers.com

Libertas Chambers Equality and Diversity Policy will be applied to all applications.

Libertas Chambers are part of the Pupillage Gateway https://www.pupillagegateway.com

Gateway timetable for 2027:

https://www.pupillagegateway.com/for-applicants.html#timetable

7th September 2026: From this date an applicant can create an account with the Pupillage Gateway and begin to upload responses to the questions applicable to all chambers e.g. academic history, and begin working on responses to bespoke questions.

23rd November 2026: Advertisements from AETOs are published from 20th November 2026 and can be accessed by applications from the 23rd November 2026.

4th January 2027: Submissions window for applicants opens

28th January 2027: Applications close – submissions window closes; no further applications or amendments permitted

1st February 2027 – 6th May 2027: Chambers shortlisting and interview period

7th May 2027: Offers made

14th May 2027: Deadline for accepting initial offers, second-round offers may be made

We encourage prospective applicants to start their preparation early. All of the Inns will offer support for application and interview preparation.

We will publish more information here in due course including our shortlisting period, expected timetable for interviews and any other information.

We will operate a process with first and second round interviews in order to meet as many candidates as possible, following shortlisting applying our applications criteria set out within Libertas Pupillage Centre.

Offers will be made in conjunction with the Gateway timetable, the deadline for acceptance will be made clear.

Pupillage award of £45,000 for 2026/27 comprised of a £20k award in first six, and £25k in second six by way of guaranteed income.

Travel costs outside of the home area will be reimbursed.

An amount (from the first six award) is available for pupils to take upfront if needed prior to the start of pupillage.

There will be a minimum monthly amount paid for the twelve months of pupillage.

There will be no attempt to recoup guaranteed income during the second six.

After a 12 month pupillage, pupils would be invited to enter into prospective tenancy if they have met the criteria to so progress as per the recruitment policy. There would continue to be a guaranteed income into prospective tenancy of £1500 pcm for the first three months as per the policy.

There will be no commission paid on fees received during the 12 month period of pupillage. In prospective tenancy, there would be commission on fees of 6%.

We are aware that Chambers must make the funding arrangements clear in writing at the time of making a pupillage offer.

2. View our Criteria for applications

3. Criteria for interviews – coming soon

Ethos of Chambers

We are a “virtual set” that was formed in 2020. We have significantly revised our chamber’s structure and way of operating/working – both clerks and members of chambers – adapting to modern working practices, the effect of the pandemic and the reality of a criminal barrister’s working life. What this means in practice is that we do not have a permanent building. We do have available to us an address and meeting rooms in central London (at Old Bailey, our main chambers address). We also have meeting rooms available to us in all major cities. Our clerks work remotely from home with a developed working practice of a virtual ‘clerk’s’ room utilising conferencing facilities so they can function as a team.

These working methods have a number of significant advantages which are primarily financial, leading to reduced overheads and, in turn the cost to members in terms of chambers contributions is vastly less than other comparable sets of chambers. We determined to take the step of working this way – still progressive for the bar – because we reflected on the reality of our working practices at the criminal bar. This was a position that was emerging pre-pandemic but crystallised during that period. Criminal barristers by nature are predominately court based. Since the advent of the Digital Case System, in conjunction with other electronic forms of communication and document exchange, it was clear that members of chambers hardly ever came to a chamber’s building. They tend to travel to and from court to home. They no longer need to add to their already long working day by going via chambers to collect papers. With the proliferation of remote conferencing facilities both generally available and specifically now in use in the criminal courts, this now means that our client conferences can take place remotely to limit the need for the client, solicitors and counsel to travel. This is of enormous time and cost saving relating to defendants in prison. Although it is still important for there to be some face-to-face contact and prison visits in person still take place, contact can also take place remotely. It has the side benefit of reducing our footprint for unnecessary travel.

We have found that accepting the practical effect of technological advances and reflecting them in our chambers model has improved the working lives of members of chambers. As noted above, finance is important in that regard given the pressures on costs of living and ongoing issues with the levels of funding for publicly funded work – the majority of the work we undertake as a set is legal aid work. Our clerks also are able to work more flexibly given the removal of travel time for their profession which already involves a very long day.

These different practices assisted us in considering how we to approach pupillage at Libertas Chambers to ensure the benefits work for pupils in a number of areas. Lower overheads for us enables us to provide an increased pupillage award above the London minimum to seek to ensure that pupillage is not the financial worry it has been in the past. Removing the old-fashioned expectation that pupils are in chambers ‘to be seen’ will improve their working week by reducing unnecessary travel and ensuring that their work day (with inevitable travel to court) is not exacerbated by an additional journey. The wider benefit is that we can be flexible in terms of the pupils’ needs in terms of where they would wish to be based for their pupillage in terms of their living arrangements and we would hope will also assist with accommodations for those with any disabilities or additional needs.

Structure of pupillage

As noted above, pupils will be technically based at our registered London office address but due to the nature of a criminal pupillage they will be at court with their supervisors during first six and in second six undertaking their own court work. We can be flexible with where a pupil wishes to be based given that we are a national set and have members practising in different areas of the country. A final decision on this will depend on available supervisors and anticipated work patterns but we will work to accommodate that for a successful applicant. This will mean chambers has to then take that into account in terms of allocation of their own work in second six and beyond to ensure they are consulted on court locations and travel.

When pupillage commences, the pupillage committee will meet with each pupil and in the light of that discussion and their application we consider with the pupil their individual needs and ambitions. We encourage discussion with pupil supervisors as to how those might be accommodated. We will be respectful of our pupils’ personal circumstances; for example, pupils with young dependent children will not be expected to travel widely in order to limit interference with parental responsibilities; pupils who choose to follow certain religious practices will be encouraged to do so and time set aside for them to do so. We will be mindful of pupils’ disabilities, whether mild or more severe, and we will work with the pupil to make accommodations for them. Any of these features that might apply to an individual pupil will be considered so we can make bespoke arrangements for them and we are mindful that it will be very important to ensure the clerks are aware of plans and provisions made – with the pupil’s consent – so that the accommodations do actually work in practice and to encourage a spirit of communication and understanding.

Pupillage will be divided into four periods of supervision with up to four supervisors. The intended aim is for there to be two supervisors per pupil in the non-practising period (first six) and two in the practising period (second six). Initially the ratio will be different as we develop our training and approval of supervisors. We aim to ensure that there is a mix of supervisors in terms of experience and personal qualities (for example barristers who have family or other commitments) so that pupils can gain a wide understanding about how to balance practice with other areas of life. In addition to supervisors we allocate a junior member of chambers who is not involved in pupillage or training to act as a point of contact beyond the supervisors, Pupillage Committee and Training Group. This is to ensure that they have someone in place that they can go to with queries and – if they arise – complaints, outwith the more formal structure. This allocated person will specifically be aiming to focus on well-being and an understanding of how practice works in the earlier years – a stream of information which we acknowledge is not as current for pupil supervisors who are necessarily of longer call.

Each supervisor will be focused on the curriculum and assessment strategy and asked to ensure that they do what they can to ensure that as far as possible each element can be achieved, and identify areas where there may need to be another approach taken. A good example is appellate work which does not always arise for a member of the criminal bar within a three month period of time so effort needs to be made to try to cover this.

Each supervisor will also be continually referring to the professional statement and in particular the inter-relationship with the core duties. Work to prepare for the ethics examination will encourage focus on these aspects.

The structure of first six pupillage in a criminal chambers is very much naturally designed to ensure that the threshold standards and competences are met. As the work is largely court based, our pupils can expect to be in court daily. If not in court they will be in conferences or dealing with paperwork and drafting. Through this exposure to daily life at the criminal bar there is a natural and developing progress through the various areas. For example pupils will always be in attendance for discussions with opposing counsel to assist with their negotiation skills, come to understand the importance of thorough preparation, become familiar with the use of the Digital Case System, see how the criminal law applies in practice, understand professional duties to the court, lay client, professional client and other professionals. They will see advocacy in practice from shorter hearings through to full trials encompassing all aspects of witness handling including vulnerable witnesses.

In terms of the competencies in the professional statement that may not be covered in pupillage in the ordinary course of events we are aware this needs focus. We identify areas that need to be specifically targeted – for example appearances in the Court of Appeal which may not arise in the period of time that a pupil is with a supervisor. We ask that members of chambers who are to be in the Court of Appeal inform pupil supervisors and offer the opportunity for a pupil to consider that case in advance and then attend with them for the hearing. The same applies to any other less-frequent type of hearing (abuse of process, applications to dismiss, ground rules hearings, section 28 recordings). We intend to ensure all members of chambers are encouraged to provide information to allocated supervisors as to hearings of specific interest to allow exposure to other areas of work. This will also include reference to any role members have in other organisations supporting the administration of justice. Allocated supervisors will be tasked with sitting down with the pupil to ensure both understand the professional statement and what needs to be covered in line with the supervisors anticipated diary. Through this process we should identify any areas that need to be covered in a different manner or with a second supervisor, which will aid in allocation of the second supervisor.

Supervisors will be encouraged to have one-to-one review meetings with their pupils specifically at the end of the three-month period, and report to the Pupillage Committee.

We take into account feedback from other barristers, clerks and other staff, as well as solicitors. If any of this gives rise to training or competency needs this will be dealt with, ideally discretely, by adapting the training programme. If a more formal issue it will be dealt with through the supervisor. Most often feedback from solicitors is positive, the pupil will be told about the feedback in that instance and a copy of the letter or email placed on their file.

There is a strict policy in chambers about giving work to pupils by those other than the allocated supervisor, something that we have learnt over the years is important. The supervisor is the gate keeper. All members of chambers who require any assistance such as in a conference, attending court with them for a particular reason, research or written work must speak with the supervisor to understand what the anticipated programme had been and assess capacity. There is not a prohibition on this – quite often pupils benefit from these other areas of work in terms of learning, the competences and also developing relationships with other members of chambers. The aim is to ensure the proper balance is kept and that no pupil feels obliged to take on work/over burden themselves.

Advocacy training

Advocacy is a vital part of training for a criminal barrister. The over-arching feature of our training programme is our Advocacy Training Programme (ATP) which in fact encompasses many more of the training needs than purely developing advocacy skills and is designed with a view to meet the various training standards and competences to ensure that indeed on ‘day one’ of practice each of our pupils has the requisite knowledge, skills and attributes of a barrister.

We are aiming for threshold standard in each and every component – we expect pupils as far as possible to be meeting threshold standards at the end of first six and to ensure that they are as prepared as possible to be able to implement and reach those which apply more specifically to development in their second six. Our internal standard is that we are proud to send a pupil out to court in the name of Libertas Chambers.

Through a combination of the programme with supervisors and the Advocacy Training Programme we focus on written and oral advocacy skills. It is important that each pupil is able to develop their own style. This is closely connected to professional standards and personal behaviours – reinforcing the importance of appropriate conduct in and out of court. This in turn strengthens the advocates performance and effectiveness.

The Advocacy Training Programme (ATP) for the pupils is run by the Training Group, and utilises the significant experience of members of chambers in training pupils in advocacy. We have a wealth of experience in creating, developing, maintaining an in-house advocacy programme designed to provide practical experience of advocacy on realistic bespoke exercises in an encouraging environment focusing on constructive criticism to allow confidence to build the advocates own style. All of this works well in conjunction with the aims of the professional statement with the necessary focus on advocacy given the profession the pupil is entering. The course we provide will also include written advocacy, seeking to ensure the professional statement is front and centre of the programme.

The ATP also provides a focus on on-going assessment of each pupil’s development in a number of areas. The ATP will encompass discussions on topical areas/development of the law, advocacy exercises, ethics, updates provided by the pupils (the leaders will keep an eye on developments and in turn ask each pupil to provide a short case note to present and discuss in the sessions, when these are of particular use and relevance these will be then circulated to all members of chambers assisting with exposure). The programme will include drafting of documents (e.g. half-time submissions, bad character applications, skeleton arguments) in order to supplement the work that will be carried out with pupil supervisors on drafting but with a focus to the types of documents they will need to prepare for their own work in court. Advocacy exercises are reviewed in line with the Inns approach (Hampel) but also with an eye to style and presentation aspects. These are reviewed and feedback provided, particular needs will be identified and the programme adapted to those if required.

Pupils will be asked for input to the programme – if there are areas they need assistance with or would like to focus on we will try to accommodate that.

There is also a chambers lecture programme annually and pupils will be encouraged to attend these events to enhance their learning as well as the collegiate aspect. In appropriate cases they will be invited to contribute assisting with their exposure and the feel of being part of chambers.

The advocacy programme will ensure that the training each pupil receives above and beyond that provided by the supervisor is consistent, continuous and targeted to nurture and achieve the required competencies. If a pupil appears to be falling short in any particular area, then the programme allows us to identify that and to offer additional practice in that area of advocacy or learning so that the pupil has every opportunity to enhance their abilities and reach the key competency standards that pupillage is intended to achieve. The members of chambers who contribute are available to assist all pupils with preparation for the first days on their feet during their first six, and then into second six with developing advocacy towards Crown Court hearings.

We increase any training needs as court work increases to ensure they are still in the same position when the time comes for applying for their full certificate, and conversely adapt it to take account of ever-increasing demands on their time.

We stagger the training in first six with more basic applications (bail, plea in mitigation) alongside practical training sessions/discussions (clients with mental health issues, how to take instructions and prepare a bail application and plea in mitigation) building to more detailed sessions on bad character and hearsay (a session first on the detail followed by a practical advocacy session based on a set of papers provided). As this moves towards the practical stage of training we focus on preparing for being on their feet both in terms of managing practice, diary, and workload. This includes a session with a clerk and with a criminal solicitor on what their expectations are. In second six we allow time for them to adapt to their own court work and then pick up on sessions that seek to move towards advocacy in the Crown court.

Within the programme we provide sessions on practice management, including how to communicate effectively with solicitors and how to behave in a workplace environment – where the boundaries are in professional relationships and how to deal with clerks for example. We include a session on social media use and use that as an opportunity to look at the bar council guidance and our social media policy in detail, and in practice. Libertas Chambers seeks to encourage our pupils to demonstrate the highest standards and values in their dealings with each other, with chambers and in their practice. It is our aim to ensure their legal knowledge and their advocacy skills are as developed as possible to equip them for the future. A key part of this will be to impress upon them the professional standards the Bar expect them to maintain, promote and demonstrate.

The combination of structured and experienced supervision and the advocacy training programme will provide our pupils with all of the tools they need to ensure success at the Bar.

We take account of the advocacy training that pupils must complete with their Inn and ensure that the time needed for those courses, including preparation, is factored into their pupillage. We are conscious that this now includes the ethics assessment undertaken during pupillage. In relation to that we have reviewed the detailed guidance within the BSB curriculum and assessment strategy document in conjunction with the professional statement. We factor into our programme some sessions that focus on covering the content (teaching), planning for preparation (to include undertaking a mock exam and review with a supervisor or Training Group member), factoring in time for preparation to ensure the burden is spread and this is no an additional worry for the pupil and accommodating the exam itself. It is a requirement for a tenancy application that a pupil pass the ethics assessment but we make it clear that we as a chambers will provide what support and assistance we can with this, and that the recruitment timetable from pupil to tenant allows time for any required re-sit.

We seek to assist pupils with preparation and allow the time needed to ensure they can successfully pass the assessment – it being a crucial stage to allow for pupillage to be completed. Reviewing the materials available, those on offer from the Inns of Court College of Advocacy we consider to be comprehensive and well structured. It is clear that their syllabus has been prepared with close attention to the BSB requirements. We would intend to support our pupils with the time needed to devote to this important stage of their training and the financial cost of preparation (£150 currently for the ICCA materials) and any costs related to the examination (if a third sitting is required) https://www.icca.ac.uk/pupillage-ethics/. We factor the timing of the exams into our pupillage programme in discussion with the pupils (being aware that three months of pupillage must have passed before the exam can be taken). Further re-sits will have to be funded by the pupil.

We are cognisant that assessment of negotiation to also due to come in to force as a requirement during pupillage and in due course will assist pupils with planning, and time to prepare as part of their pupillage and our in-house training programme.

Our aim is to always accommodate the pupils with the advocacy training as far as possible and we are flexible as to their own personal or social commitments. Conducting some sessions remotely helps with this but inevitably sessions tend to be in the early evening due to the members of chambers conducting the sessions own court commitments. Because of this a session may run say from 5 or 530pm to 6 or 630pm. Where we may need to go outside of standard working hours we give notice and invite pupils to contribute to the best day of the week for the sessions for them, and allow for the programme to change as and when their commitments change (including those arising from their pupillage itself as well as commitments outside work). We work around courses and their travel needs according to where they will be in court. The use of remote conferencing facilities will allow for these sessions to be more consistently delivered but also more adaptable (in the past we needed to wait for everyone to get back to chambers from court). We will endeavour to arrange some in person sessions to ensure that nothing is lost in the remote delivery and will include tips in the sessions as to the difference between remote and in-person advocacy.

Technology

Chambers utilise a diary management system – LEX. This provides members diaries, a document management system, billing and fees information. Pupils will be taught how to use this during first six and shown how supervisors use it to assist with their own practice management. Pupils will be added to the system so they can become familiar with it by the time their practising period “second six” begins.

The criminal bar now regularly involves use of a system for court hearings and prison visits – this is called the Cloud Video Platform ‘CVP’. Pupils will be shown how to use this system and understand the obligations that come with it in line with the core duties and areas of the professional statement, e.g. ensuring privacy, only requesting a video hearing where appropriate, how to manage issues such as the prison not responding. This will ensure they are equipped to effectively use this mode of working when they are in practice.

The main work tool for criminal barristers is the DCS. All criminal barristers need to be well-versed in understanding how this system works, what to look for and when, how to check cases for updates, how to add notes and the rules that apply as to who can upload (and remove) material in line with Bar Council and BSB guidance. A fundamental step in first six will be exposing pupils to the system and allowing them access to see how this works. There is a training guide that they will be encouraged to consider.

We encourage pupils to understand how to register for and use Courtserve which provides court listings to ensure they know how to look for cases in the court list and check for last minute changes, as well as understand what various annotations on the court list mean in terms of attendance, nature of the hearing, any reporting restrictions and so on.

Members of chambers contribute to the legal subscription service ‘Westlaw’ as a group. Pupils will have access to a log in for the duration of their pupillage to ensure they have access to required research materials.

An important online resource for members of the criminal bar is the sentencing council website which publishes sentencing guidelines. Pupillage will involve instruction on how to navigate this and use the sentencing guidelines practically and then interwoven into advocacy.

Pupils will be encouraged, if they don’t already, to make use of their Inns online access through websites and communication email lists to ensure they keep abreast of developments, information such as that which relates to their compulsory pupillage advocacy training and with an eye to ongoing training both in the form of lectures and Inns events and in due course New Practitioners training. They will also be directed to the Criminal Bar Association and encouraged to join – this gives access to lectures, learning and case updates as well as a weekly newsletter. The same will apply to the relevant circuit and they will be encouraged to join and participate in events for professional and personal development within the profession.

They will also be directed how to use an application that assists with the complex calculation of criminal legal aid fees so that from the outset they have an awareness of billing, when and how a work log is required and categorisation of cases.

Importantly pupils will be encouraged to ensure they themselves understand the professional statement and the supporting documents available on the BSB website, for example to have to hand the location of the handbook for ethical foundations, where to find the number for the ethical helpline and example responses available to general ethical queries. They will be asked to ensure they themselves are familiar with the timeline for pupillage and what they must take responsibility for in terms of dates for certification of completion of the non-practising stage, keeping chambers informed of the same so that diary management can be appropriate. This will include the requirements for the ethics assessment and in due course when implemented the negotiation assessment. Pupils will be directed to the significant resources available on the Bar Council website to include those that relate to support, well-being and reporting such as ‘talk to spot’.

A pupil having access to, and awareness of how to use, these different electronic resources will be well equipped for practice and will allow them to be many steps ahead in terms of the key parts of the professional statement that relate to practice management.

Progression

The overall structure of our pupillages are indicative of a supportive system designed to allow pupils to make the best use of the experience to ensure that they are equipped for the second six and beyond. Because a criminal pupillage means that they will be in court in essence daily from the start of the practising period their practice starts very early on. The whole structure of pupillage at Libertas is aimed at ensuring they are prepared for this. We acknowledge that we have a responsibility to ensure pupils are supporting to continue to develop their advocacy once they are on their feet, and will need support with the different types of work that will come as they gain experiences. Our aim is to ensure pupils are equipped to build a practice and understand what that means.

In terms of practice development in our area of work all pupils will be exposed to opportunities to meet solicitors and form their own relationships. To this end we encourage fair distribution of work mindful of BSB guidance on the same. We ensure pupils are part of any chambers networking and educational events to give them exposure and to allow them to communicate with solicitors.

We encourage pupils to undertake pro bono work and direct them to the pupillage guide from Advocate.

https://weareadvocate.org.uk/public/downloads/fJNlF/Guide%20for%20Pupils%20and%20Supervisors%20.pdf

It is our view that this work will help in developing their practice and opportunities to demonstrate their ability, working towards the pupil pledge which can then be attached to their email footers as a symbol of dedication and commitment. We will allow time to prepare for and undertake pro bono work provided chambers are kept informed and updated.

The key focus in pupillage is normally to attain tenancy. Our policy on recruitment will be to retain pupils where they meet our recruitment to tenancy criteria as to business need and ability. The criminal bar needs barristers and it will be our aim to facilitate pupillages that produce members of chambers that we, and the criminal bar, can retain. We strive to achieve that aim. However, we recognise that some realise the criminal bar is not for them and in that case we will work to support those in that position to look for other opportunities utilising contacts in other chambers and organisations where we can.

View the Libertas Chambers Pupillage Policy

View the Libertas Chambers Recruitment Policy

View the Libertas Chambers Pupillage Disciplinary Policy

Preparing for taking pupils has been a useful opportunity to review the thinking behind the training and support we offer, with a view to maintaining quality and ensuring that one of our key aims, sustaining the future of the Criminal Bar, can be met.

Having considered the purpose of the AETO structure, the Professional Statement and the training framework, we understand how these will support us in delivering training that enables us to recruit tenants from pupils, which is one of our stated aims.

We endorse the principle that pupils are entitled to expect a good standard of training. We understand that we need to support pupils throughout the process and ensure they gain as much as possible from their first six months, including:

• Completion of the Professional Statement
• Advocacy training
• Introductions to members of the profession, both within and outside Chambers

Pupil supervisors will ensure that training progresses as expected. A structured system will be in place to review both the pupillage programme and each pupil’s progression, supported by:

• A junior mentor scheme
• An in-house advocacy programme

We understand the importance of pupils knowing what is expected of them and what they can expect in relation to their progression during pupillage. We will ensure that pupils receive appropriate exposure to relevant areas of work so that they are fully prepared when they begin their own practice.

Accessibility and Diversity

We aim to ensure that our application process and pupillage programme are accessible to everyone, including in relation to disability and background.

We begin the training process with the intention of being genuinely accessible in the widest sense of the term. We will endeavour to meet all reasonable requests to adapt the process or programme to an individual’s circumstances. This is an approach that begins with diversity in mind.

Pupillage Award

We offer a pupillage award in excess of the minimum award for London pupillages. This is intended to ensure that those who wish to join the Bar in a publicly funded area can realistically do so, regardless of their personal means and bearing in mind the debt carried by many of those entering the profession.

We hope this strikes an appropriate balance between providing realistic financial support and offering pupillage in a dynamic, engaging and advocacy-focused area of practice.

Building a Sustainable Practice

During pupillage, we will focus on helping pupils understand how to build and maintain a viable practice for the future, with the aim of increasing retention at the Criminal Bar.

Accessibility Officer Amanda Kneafsey – Email: akneafsey@libertaschambers.com

View our full Equality and Diversity Policy.

View the Libertas Chambers Reasonable Adjustments Policy

There is no assessment or criteria for the opportunity to spend time with members of chambers finding out more about life at the criminal bar.  We simply ask for an email giving us some information about yourself and why you are interested in a mini-pupillage.

We encourage applications from those of all backgrounds who wish to undertake a mini-pupillage.  We will seek to accommodate dates you are available wherever possible and for periods of time that fit with your schedule (not necessarily a traditional five days – shorter time periods can be managed).

If you are concerned about travel expenses to travel to and from court during a mini-pupillage we have a discretionary fund that can be made available depending on circumstances to ensure this opportunity is genuinely available to all. If you would wish to be considered for this, please add a note to that effect and we will provide a supplementary form with information about the criteria.

Note: Once applications are open (January 2027) please send an email attaching your CV to the below email address ensuring you specify dates you are available.

Please apply in confidence to minipupil@libertaschambers.com

Libertas Chambers Equality and Diversity Policy will be applied to all applications.  .