A mini-pupillage at Holborn Chambers offers an opportunity to gain first-hand insight into life at the Bar and the day-to-day work of practising barristers.
Our mini-pupillages are designed to give those considering a career at the Bar a realistic understanding of professional practice, advocacy, case preparation and the working environment of Chambers.
Mini-pupillages are available throughout the year on a rolling basis and normally last five working days.
A five-working-day placement
Applications are accepted throughout the year
Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis
Applicants must be aged 18 or over at the time of the placement
Based at Holborn Chambers, 6 Gate Street, London WC2A 3HP
Mini-pupillages are unpaid and Chambers does not reimburse travel, accommodation or other expenses
During your mini-pupillage, you will have the opportunity to observe the work of barristers and gain a better understanding of the realities of practice at the Bar.
The precise experience will depend on the cases, hearings and professional commitments taking place during your placement, but may include:
Accompany members of Chambers to court and observe advocacy and proceedings in practice.
Observe conferences with professional or lay clients where appropriate and where confidentiality permits.
Gain insight into how barristers review evidence, identify legal issues and prepare cases.
Depending on the work available, you may have opportunities to observe or undertake appropriate legal research or written exercises.
Learn more about the relationship between barristers, clerks, solicitors and clients and gain an understanding of how a self-employed barrister's practice is managed.
Where possible, mini-pupils may gain exposure to criminal work undertaken on behalf of both the prosecution and defence.
Holborn Chambers welcomes applications from individuals who are seriously considering a career at the Bar and wish to gain a better understanding of professional practice.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or over at the time the mini-pupillage takes place.
We welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds and routes into the legal profession.
No previous mini-pupillage experience at Holborn Chambers is required.
There is no single annual application window for mini-pupillage at Holborn Chambers.
Applications are accepted throughout the year and placements are allocated on a rolling, first come, first served basis, subject to:
As we may receive more applications than we are able to accommodate, applicants are encouraged to apply well in advance of their preferred dates.
This is clearer than just saying “rolling basis,” because applicants immediately understand that sending an application does not guarantee a place.
Applications should be made directly to Chambers by email.
Please send:
Applications should be emailed to:
senior.clerk@holbornchambers.co.uk
Suggested email subject:
Mini-Pupillage Application – [Your Full Name]
Applications are considered in the order in which they are received.
Mini-pupillages normally take place over five working days.
Applicants offered a placement will be provided with the relevant dates and joining information before commencement.
Mini-pupils should be prepared for the working day to reflect the professional commitments of the barrister they are accompanying. Court hearings and conferences may take place away from Chambers, and schedules can change at short notice.
Mini-pupillages at Holborn Chambers are unpaid.
Chambers does not provide reimbursement for travel, accommodation, meals or other expenses incurred in connection with a mini-pupillage.
Applicants should therefore consider the costs associated with attending a five-day placement in London before accepting an offer.
I would make this a prominent section rather than burying it in an FAQ. It is transparent and prevents applicants from finding out about the cost position only after being offered a place.
Holborn Chambers is committed to equality of opportunity and welcomes applications from candidates from all backgrounds.
If you require a reasonable adjustment in connection with the application process or your mini-pupillage, please let Chambers know.
Requests will be considered individually, sensitively and confidentially.
During a mini-pupillage, applicants may encounter confidential, privileged or sensitive information.
All successful applicants are therefore required to complete a confidentiality and data protection undertaking before beginning their placement.
Mini-pupils are expected to:
Information about individual cases observed during a mini-pupillage must not be shared on social media or with third parties.
This distils the detailed code of conduct from the policy into website-friendly language without turning the public page into an instruction manual.
A mini-pupillage is observational work experience and does not constitute pupillage or confer any entitlement to pupillage or tenancy at Holborn Chambers. The precise programme will depend on the professional work available during the placement, and Chambers may need to alter dates or arrangements where court listings or other professional commitments change. I deliberately would not yet say that Holborn's mini-pupillage is “non-assessed” or that it has absolutely no relevance to pupillage recruitment, because we previously identified that this needs confirmation from Chambers. Once that is confirmed, I strongly recommend adding: Mini-pupillages at Holborn Chambers are non-assessed. Undertaking a mini-pupillage at Holborn Chambers is not a prerequisite for applying for pupillage and does not form part of the formal pupillage selection process.
If you have a question about applying for mini-pupillage at Holborn Chambers, please contact: