What is a mini-pupillage?

Mini-pupillages are often likened to the vacation schemes of the barrister world. While indeed both are structured, formal, Law internships, there are some critical differences in use and approach. So, what are mini-pupillages for, and how do you make the most of them?

Just as vacation schemes are essential for securing a training contract, a would-be barrister must rack up the mini-pupillages to stand a chance of winning a full pupillage (akin to a training contract) at a Chambers. A good candidate should aim for three or four mini-pupillages - the industry standard for proving one's commitment and aptitude. If you want more CV tips, use our career advice section.

However, don’t feel that quantity beats quality. Three mini-pupillages that demonstrate commitment to a particular area of Law or Chamber are viewed more favourably than six in Chambers dealing with Criminal Law when applying to a Medical Negligence practice.

Learn how to fill in the pupillage application form.

Mini-pupillages typically last for just a few days – another difference to the weeks-long vacation schemes. During that short time, students will be given a barrister to shadow and accompany to court. They’ll also sit in on client meetings, assist on small projects and be given notes to read and discuss.

A third of Chambers use them as a vital part of assessing candidates for their full pupillages

However, these experiences drastically change if the mini-pupillage is an assessed mini-pupillage. About a third of Chambers use these as a vital part of assessing candidates for their full pupillages. They usually invite strong candidates after online testing to come in for a few days, before they decide on whom to invite to a full face to face interview. Typically, the only formally assessed part of the mini-pupillage is a set project for the students, but the whole experience will form part of the set’s opinion on the aspiring barristers.

Many years’ hence, once you’ve built your wall of a glittering career at the Bar, a small brick at the bottom may not seem so important, but as the mini-pupillage is where you will make your start, extra care and attention should be paid to their applications beyond what you think is necessary.

In your applications, employers prize brevity

Once you have an offer of the mini-pupillage, another tip is to continue your research focused on that Chamber in even more depth. This is because your time with the set will be short, so you should not expect to learn everything about that area in that time. Therefore, write down three key goals around what you want to learn during your time there so you can make the most of it. These can be as broad as working out whether the practice area is for you, or as specific as understanding a technical point of Law with a barrister.

As mini-pupillages are not guarantees of a pupillage with any Chambers, you can use them with the aim of not just to trying to impress the barrister you are shadowing, but to build up an armoury of knowledge, facts, contacts and language to boost a pupillage application. Think of yourself as a researcher for an exam, and the mini-pupillage as your library.

In your actual applications, employers prize brevity. The top tip is to not fall into the trap of long-winded English with heavy jargon flowing over the multitude of pages. Sets receive hundreds of applications and can only spend a few minutes on each one at most. You may have as few as six seconds to catch their attention and induce them to read your whole application. Here are some more tips to get you on your way.

Seek advice from lots of people in your network in order to create a balanced and well-informed application. Get help from barristers, careers advisers, fellow students and friends. And you can always call us here at Bright Network.

Advice may be contradictory, but use common sense to make sure you are sending an application that is well-written and shows off your best skills and competencies. 

Organisation skills are key in this profession, so prove that you have them by getting your application in early.

Use the word limit as a guide, not a target. Barristers read through heaps of applications, often in their free time, so they want to hear about why you are a great fit for the role in a concise and succinct manner. Be clear about your strong points, but don’t over-exaggerate. If you have done a mini-pupillage, be honest about your experience. These are short programmes and barristers are familiar with what they involve, so don’t make out that you took on more than you did. 

Be ahead of the game. Applications are often reviewed on a rolling basis, and if you stand out early on in the process, you’re already on the front foot. If it’s a postal application, you want to be sure that it arrives on time, so send it well in advance.

If it’s an online application, don’t leave it up until the last minute as systems can be prone to crashing just before the deadline when many applicants log on. Organisation skills are key in this profession, so prove that you have them by getting your application in early. 

Write about specific practice areas that the chambers you are applying to specialise in. Be specific, and talk about why you are interested in that area. When giving reasons for your choice, use the opportunity to show that you know about their ethos and culture, and refer to cases they have worked on. Evidence the research you’ve done on the firm, and show why you are a good fit. Don’t make it obvious that you are sending out blanket applications by including work experience that isn’t relevant. 

It sounds blindingly obvious to say it, but it’s absolutely crucial. Spelling and grammatical errors are easy to fall down on, and also gives reviewers an instant reason to eliminate candidates. Reading your application aloud is a fantastic way to ensure it is well written, and ask a friend to quickly glance over it as they are bound to notice a couple of errors that you haven’t spotted.

And remember, to be a successful barrister, you'll need an excellent eye for detail and accuracy, so proofreading really is rather essential.