My First Mini-Pupillage

The best way to decide if a career at the Bar is for you is by doing a mini-pupillage. My first mini-pupillage solidified the idea I had in my head of being a criminal barrister and I have not looked back since! I learnt a lot, from how to do a good application to what it’s like in chambers and in court.

I will very briefly talk about the application process. I spent almost three months doing my mini-pupillage application. Why? Well, I had never done one before so I really wanted to make sure that every answer I gave was the best possible answer, and that my answer was to the point, reflected my passion and me as an individual. I had no previous experience at all, so I wanted to make sure that my answers stood out instead. When I finally sent it in I had convinced myself that I was not a strong enough candidate and that I would not get it. However, I received an email a few weeks later saying I had been selected and I am adamant that I burst some eardrums in the house by my scream of joy!

The mini-pupillage took place over the course of three days. I spent two days in Leeds and the third in York. On my first day, I made sure I was at least 15 minutes early to chambers (I have a fear of being late). I got a little tour of the office and I met the barrister I would be shadowing that day. We went straight to the Crown Court and I got to sit in on a client meeting which then led to us being called into court. It was the quickest thing ever. The trail had to be pushed back as there was no translator and that was it: I think I was in the court room for a total of 5 minutes. We went back into the ‘common room’ (I liked calling it that) I met some other barristers and we all got chatting. I always felt so inspired sitting in there. But as soon as we got to relaxing we were called again for a video call. We waited and waited some more but it never happened, and I remember so clearly the barrister turning to me and say “being a barrister means you will forever be waiting”. Eventually he called it and we went back to chambers, where I read through some interesting cases and met a lovely Chancery barrister. We chatted for a while about my first day and about pupillages. I still keep in contact with her to this day! My first day really gave me an insight into how the courts work and how you can be fully prepared for a trail but one small thing can push an entire trail back months. The small things matter.

My second day was a lot different. Once again, I arrived at chambers early and met up with a new barrister who specialised in employment law. He was doing a keynote speech so I got to listen to a very insightful talk for the morning. We then went back to chambers and I sat in on a ‘’strategy meeting’ about a case. The amount of files and papers in the room blew me away. We sat for what seemed like hours organising papers but also looking at different avenues the case could go down. I then sat in on a conference call about a negligence case. While he was on the phone I was allowed to read the case, and that’s when I fell in love with negligence. I was again able to see a different side of being a barrister. You are not in court every single day advocating, sometimes you are in the office doing admin work or on calls all day preparing.

My final day took me to York and I was in the Crown Court all day. This was what I had imagined, being in court all day advocating. I got to sit in on an ongoing criminal trial, there was a jury, three different barristers and, of course, three defendants. I was on cloud 9! I watched cross examinations (which was insane) I loved it. The way the questions were asked, the formalities- everything about the entire process blew me away. I remember writing in my notes “the level of sass is off the charts”. And for the first time I saw what it’s like to have a jury there, and what you can and cannot say in front of them. I felt like we were in court for hours and before I knew it, it was adjourned for the day and that was it. My mini-pupillage was over.

I learnt so much over the three days. I got an insight into the day of a barrister and I loved it. I’ve not looked back since.