Chambers has been a pre-eminent and successful specialist set since the beginning of the Family Bar.
The financial aspects of divorce are undergoing significant re-evaluation in the courts, and we consider that the future for specialist financial practitioners at the Family Bar is both secure and exciting. Further, our work is almost exclusively privately funded.
Chambers work is principally focused on private financial ancillary relief work (ie - financial provision post divorce), most of which involves high value claims. At present, Chambers pupil supervisors all specialise in this area, although pupils will see other financial claims in the wider family context (viz - under the Inheritance Act, between cohabitants, under the Civil Partnership Act and the Children Act), as well as a small number of private law child cases.
Work seen during pupillage will tend to be high-profile, as well as high value, and may have an international element. Pupils will also encounter related areas of law, e.g. tax, company and trust law. Work done will be challenging but confidence building.
Applicants need to appreciate that there is not a great deal of work for pupils in their second six months.
We are looking for pupils with ability, application and the potential to be first-rate advocates. Good communication skills are essential. Applicants will also need to demonstrate their interest in family law. A minimum of a 2.1 degree is required. Numeracy and computer skills are also necessary.
Chambers looks to offer three twelve-month funded pupillages of £25,000pa each. Pupils spend four months each with three different supervisors. Generally, we take on one new junior tenant a year, who we hope will be recruited from our pupils.
Chambers operates an Equal Opportunity policy in respect of all aspects, including pupillage and recruitment.
Chambers is not a member of Pupillage Portal.
Applications for pupillage
Applications for pupillages in 2011/2012 (commencing October 2011) will open from the date of the National Pupillage Fair (sometime in March 2010) and will close at 4pm on 14 May 2010.
Applications should be sent, with a CV and hand-written covering letter, marked 'Pupillage Application' and addressed to the Chambers Administrator. References may also be helpful. Please include an e-mail address and mobile telephone number if available.
Some applicants will be selected to attend an interview in Chambers on a Saturday in June 2010. Those who attend should be aware of current issues in family law and be prepared to discuss them in the interview. A short list of candidates will then be invited for a further interview on an evening during the week early in July. The successful candidates are notified on 1 August 2010, and the pupillage offers remain open for 14 days thereafter, although we request that applicants who do not want the pupillage should notify us as soon as possible.
Mini pupillages
Chambers offers one-week mini-pupillages during the legal terms.
Applicants must be over 18 years old.
The application deadline for mini pupillages in 2009 has now passed. No further applications will be considered.
Applications for mini-pupillages during 2010 should be sent (with a CV and hand-written covering letter) between 1st and 31st January 2010 marked "mini pupillage application" and for the attention of Katherine Cook. Please note: any application sent before that date will not be considered until after the 31st January 2010 deadline.
