For further information or with anything relating to this post contact our clerks on:
We know that a mini-pupillage can help you decide whether you wish to apply for pupillage at 4 Pump Court. Our mini-pupillages are intended to give you an idea of the work we carry out in Chambers and whether chambers would be a good fit for you. However demand for mini-pupillages is very high and far outstrips our ability to offer them. It is not unusual for places to be filled more than a year in advance.
We have recently conducted a review of how we provide mini-pupillages. We have listened to feedback and from April 2024 onwards, we will run mini-pupillage days. We have designed these to maintain the best things about a “traditional” mini-pupillage, like time with a junior barrister and receiving feedback on an exercise. The new structure also allows us to provide new opportunities, such as the chance to meet a wider range of barristers (including more senior members of Chambers) as well as to meet clerks and take part in panel discussions about pupillage, life as a junior barrister, and more.
We will run four mini-pupillage days per year, in December/January, April, July and September/October, each with up to 20 places available. Recognising that not everyone can conveniently attend Chambers in person, we will run the July session every year remotely. Attendees at the remote session will receive exactly the same substantive content as in-person attendees.
In general, Chambers will not offer a mini-pupillage to an applicant if they will be applying for pupillage in the next round, but there is no capacity for them to attend ahead of interviews for pupillage. However, all applicants who reach the final round of pupillage interviews will be invited to spend some time in chambers should they wish to do so.
The forthcoming dates for our mini-pupillage days ahead of the 2027 pupillage application deadline (for pupillages commencing Autumn 2028) are:
Please note that there are no spaces left ahead of the 2026 Pupillage Gateway. 2026 mini-pupillage dates are available to those considering applying in the 2027 Pupillage Gateway (or later).
Our mini-pupillage days are open to anyone who:
Applications are assessed by reference to the same criteria as pupillage recruitment. There is a discretion to consider whether an applicant already has a substantial number of mini-pupillages and so will benefit less from the opportunity.
Mini-pupillages at 4 Pump Court are not a pre-requisite for an application for pupillage and do not form any part of the pupillage recruitment process.
We do not want anyone to be deterred from applying for a mini-pupillage by financial considerations. We will cover your reasonable domestic travel expenses to attend a mini-pupillage day.
We are also committed to making reasonable adjustments in order to remove or reduce substantial disadvantage for anyone with a disability attending Chambers. Upon receiving an offer of a mini-pupillage, please let us know of any reasonable adjustments you require.
