A mini-pupil's story

From time to time we take students for short periods (up to two weeks) to observe life in a busy set of barristers' chambers. A recent mini-pupil describes his experiences in the summer of 2009...

I had got my mini-pupillage with 3 Paper Buildings (I was at the London premises) after sending in a CV and covering letter. I had chosen 3 Paper Buildings because of the range of work they do and because I wanted to see if such a large set of chambers could still retain the close-knit atmosphere often associated with smaller chambers.

I have just finished my law degree and am sure that I want to be a Barrister, but a mini-pupillage would also be of enormous help to those who aren’t sure about whether they want to be a Barrister, what the difference between a Barrister and Solicitor is or those who have only recently begun to think about turning to the law as a career.

Turning up on the Monday morning, I was a little nervous about what would be expected of me, and also how I would be received as a mini-pupil – I can’t imagine that everyone wants someone shadowing him during a workday.

My first encounter was a conference with clients, who kindly agreed to allow me to sit in. I had twenty minutes to read the case papers, which is normal for a mini-pupil. Luckily the point is to let you know what everyone will be talking about, and not to test your knowledge on a fairly complicated set of facts covering topics that I had either not looked at in my law degree or had tried my hardest to forget about after surviving the exam! Like every other mini-pupillage experience, the conference itself was a chance to see the professionals in action, and hopefully notice some of the methods used to get the information they need or to explain the situation to the clients.

At other times, I had the chance to follow other members of Chambers to court. I’m sure that, just like me, this is one of the highlights of anyone’s mini-pupillage. It is the ideal chance to see varying styles of advocacy, and being a mini-pupil rather than just someone in the public gallery, I had the added advantage of being able to ask questions about it afterwards. Moreover, mini-pupils are usually allowed to follow their master if the hearing is in the Judge’s chambers and get to hear what is said between the Barristers and Clients (both lay and professional) before, during and after the proceedings.

Perhaps the most useful part of a mini-pupillage is the chance you get to talk to Barristers – about the job, how they got a pupillage and tenancy, and generally to get a feel for the type of chambers you are a mini-pupil with. I am sure the tips I was given will come in handy, but I will share a couple of mini-pupillage tips of my own. First, don’t wear a hot three-piece suit during the hottest week of the summer. It’s very difficult to loosen your tie without anybody noticing in a room with just six people in it. Second, especially if you are used to a truly student lifestyle where breakfast is at 11am, make sure you have something decent to eat at the start of the day. Courts are specially designed to amplify rumbling tummy sounds to an embarrassingly high volume.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions (albeit at a suitable time) and enjoy the chance to see the legal system close-up and learn a little more about the profession.