Pupillage

OUR PUPILLAGE APPLICATION PROCESS IS CURRENTLY CLOSED

Download our 2023 Pupillage Process Review >>>

Investing in your future

St Philips Chambers is the foremost set in the Midlands for a wide range of specialist work. We have 150+ barristers (including 17 Silks), many of whom are ranked in the legal directories as leaders in their field in a number of areas, notably Business and Property, Family, Crime and Employment/Clinical Negligence. Chambers was nominated for Regional Set of the Year in the 2022 Legal 500 Awards, and offers exciting opportunities for a structured and challenging pupillage, which should lead to a successful career surrounded by market-leading colleagues, extensive and efficient clerking and administrative support, and high-quality work.

We are a friendly and approachable team who always make time to support more junior barristers; especially pupils and junior tenants. You will find help and advice freely available from members at all levels of seniority, as you find your feet and continuing through tenancy as you develop your own practice.

We take great care in the selection of our pupils and are looking not only for intellectual ability and advocacy potential, but also resilience, character and good judgement. If you have these qualities, then we welcome your application, whatever your background.

The five pupils who commenced their pupillages at St Philips in October 2022

Pupillage Structure

We offer specialist pupillages in (i) Business and Property (with a particular focus in 2024 on wills, trusts and probate work), (ii) Family, (iii) Crime and (iv) Employment/Personal Injury/Clinical Negligence.

Our 12-month pupillage offers a blend of education, encouragement and independence, designed to be both stimulating and enjoyable.  During your first Six, your pupil supervisor will make sure that you experience different areas of the specialist area of work and the contrasting styles of our members.  You will attend court and conferences with members, be involved in legal research, and collaborate on cases in a tailored programme designed to build your knowledge and experience.  During your second Six you will be able to do your own advisory and advocacy work in order to gain invaluable experience in Court and learn the skills that will allow you to build a successful practice as one of our tenants.

With all St Philips’ practice groups, we only offer a pupillage if tenancy is available at the end of it; and we will do everything we can to support you to get there.

Financial and other support available

Key dates and Application Process

4 Jan 2023 @ 10.00am

The application process is now closed

12 Jan 2023 @ 06.00pm

Pupillage Information Evening in Chambers

Find out further details of what you can expect and register to attend our pupillage information evening here- REGISTRATIONS CLOSED.

8 Feb 2023 @ 10.00am

The submissions window has now closed

No further applications or amendments to applications will be allowed.

27 Mar 2023

First round interview evenings – Week 1

We will be running first round interview evenings remotely; these will take place in the week commencing 27^th March 2023.

3 April 2023

First round interview evenings – Week 2

We will be running first round interview evenings remotely; these will take place in the week commencing 3^rd April 2023.

24 Apr 2023

Final round interviews

Interviews will take place, in person, in Chambers week commencing 24^th April 2023.

5 May 2023

Offers made

St Philips Chambers will make their offers of Pupillage on this date.

What our former pupils say

“There is an emphasis on finding your own voice and making the most from what you’ve been taught”

“Everyone wants you to do well and you will be given every opportunity to show that you’re up to it.”

“Criticism is constructive, and praise is genuine”

Equality, diversity and inclusion

Chambers is committed to equal opportunities for its barristers and staff, and its diversity data is available at https://st-philips.com/about/ .

Chambers goes far above and beyond the minimum requirements for equality, diversity and inclusion. It was one of the first sets in the country to obtain a Certificate of Recognition from the Bar Council in recognition of the work of its Wellbeing Committee; it has signed up to the 10,000 Black Interns programme, and has published its own Anti-Racist Statement.

The Equality and Diversity Officers for chambers are Sophie Garner and Colin Baran.