Mini-Pupillage

Mini-Pupillage

Chambers offers non-assessed mini-pupillages to those who would like to gain experience of life in a Chancery set.

Mini-pupillages generally take place over 2 days and we usually offer 9 a year. As a mini-pupil you will sit with a member of Chambers. You will usually look at the work undertaken by him or her and you may also be asked to participate in an advocacy or advice learning exercise.

Candidates must have either completed at least the first year of a law degree or applied for or obtained a place on a Graduate Law Diploma course by the time of applying for mini-pupillage.

Further information about mini-pupillage can be found in our Pupillage and Junior Recruitment Policy which can be downloaded from the Pupillage page of this website. We ask that prospective applicants read this information before applying.

How to apply

Applications should be made using the attached application form.

Please note that we are unable to consider CVs and covering letters. Please send applications to minipupillage@tenoldsquare.com and title your email ‘mini-pupillage application’.

When to apply

We invite mini-pupils to attend in three specific time periods in the year. Applications should be made by the following deadlines:

• For mini-pupillages in January or February, applications must be received no later than 1 November.
• For mini-pupillages in April or May, applications must be received no later than 1 March.
• For mini-pupillages in September or October, applications must be received no later than 15 July.

Applications cannot be considered for the relevant mini-pupillage period after the deadline has passed but will be considered for the next mini-pupillage period.

Mini-pupillages for under-represented groups

We are committed to widening access to the Bar to those from under-represented social backgrounds. As part of that commitment, we offer:

• three ‘access’ mini-pupillages per year to candidates who fulfil at least one of our access criteria; and
• a guaranteed first round pupillage interview to those candidates.

We strongly encourage any candidate who fulfils our access criteria to apply for one of these reserved mini-pupillage places. Candidates who apply for a reserved place are still eligible for an unreserved place (on an equal footing with other candidates). To apply for a reserved place, simply fill out the access scheme section of our mini-pupillage application form.

As noted above, if you have been offered and have accepted or completed an access mini-pupillage with us, you will be guaranteed a first-round pupillage interview with us on the first occasion that you apply for pupillage thereafter. To take advantage of this, candidates must apply to Chambers through the Gateway and provide the Pupillage Secretary with their Pupillage Gateway candidate number for that season, prior to the date on which the Gateway gives Chambers access to the applications (which usually happens a few days after the application period closes). This information should be emailed to pupillage@tenoldsquare.com.

Travel expenses and other financial assistance

Chambers offers to reimburse reasonable travel expenses for mini-pupils who live some distance away from Chambers and are experiencing hardship: for further details, please see our Pupillage and Junior Recruitment Policy. Some applicants may also be eligible for support from the Lincoln’s Inn Mini-Pupillage Grant Scheme: for further details, please see here.

Equality and diversity

Ten Old Square is committed to equality of opportunity and to diversity amongst our members, clerks, staff, pupils and mini-pupils.