We are committed to providing education, experience and training by way of pupillage to those who wish to pursue a career at the Bar.

We are members of OLPAS and adhere to its policies and timetables. We recruit during its summer season and currently offer three twelve-month pupillages in family law.  With effect from October 2006 pupils will receive a grant of £9,000 in the first six months of pupillage and guaranteed minimum earnings of another £9,000 in the second six.  Recent experience indicates that pupils can expect to earn in the region of £12,000 in the second six months.

In compliance with the Equality and Diversity Code for the Bar and the Code of Conduct, it is our policy to ensure that:

• fair and effective procedures are in place for the recruitment of pupils and that all applications are dealt with fairly according to established selection criteria;
  

• pupillage provides a comprehensive and varied programme of education and training in family law based upon a definitive checklist;
  

• pupillages are properly and effectively monitored and assessed;
  

• all pupils have equality of access to learning;
  

• fair and effective procedures are in place for regulating the distribution of work to pupils;
  

• we comply with all relevant pupillage monitoring requirements;
  

• we monitor and report upon the effectiveness of pupillage at regular intervals.

We will at all times implement our equality and diversity policy and discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, citizenship, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, age, religion or political persuasion will not be tolerated either by or in respect of a pupil.

Each pupil is allocated three qualified supervisors during her/his pupillage. The supervisors are responsible for the pupil's education and training,  which will be overseen by the pupillage & recruitment committee. Supervisors conduct monthly reviews with their pupils, at which progress and future training requirements are discussed and recorded.  Pupils also have quarterly reviews with representatives of the pupillage & recruitment committee.  At all reviews, pupils are encouraged to give their feedback and to raise any difficulties that they have encountered or specific requests that they might have.

Each pupil is also allocated a junior tenant mentor, who will be a tenant with recent experience of pupillage in chambers. The informal role of the mentor is to support, advise, assist and befriend the pupil so as to ensure that the pupil feels comfortable in chambers.

Recruitment of Starter Tenants
The management committee decides by the 31st May in each year the number of vacancies for starter tenants to be filled in October that year. In deciding on the number of vacancies, the committee consults the senior clerk, the pupillage & recruitment committee, the heads of the practice groups and the six most junior members of chambers. The committee also decides by that date whether or not the vacancies should be advertised. In reaching this decision it has regard to:

• The number of vacancies identified.
  

• The number of internal candidates who would be eligible to apply for the vacancies.
  

• The question of whether, in the light of the above, any decision not to advertise would further our objective of ensuring that we receive applications from high quality candidates.

In the event of a decision being made to advertise, the advertisement is placed in Counsel magazine.  Internal candidates who wish to be considered for the vacancies are always shortlisted and interviewed.  Interviews are conducted during July and a chambers meeting or ballot of members held by the end of July to decide whether offers of tenancy should be made.