What is pupillage?
Pupillage is the final practical stage of training to be a barrister, either completed in a set of chambers or with an organisation such as the Government Legal Department or the Crown Prosecution Service. You can think of a pupillage as like a paid apprenticeship.
You can start pupillage up to 5 years after completing the Bar training course and it usually starts in September or October. You must be confident that you will have passed the Bar training course before the advertised start date of any pupillage that you apply for.
How do I apply for pupillage?
Our Pupillage Gateway is the online application system for pupillage. Here you can set up an account to search for vacancies and prepare your applications in advance of the recruitment process starting. Find out more about pupillage and how to apply on our Pupillage Gateway applicants information page.
What is mini-pupillage and how do I get it?
Mini-pupillages are short periods of work experience in a chambers or with an employer where you will shadow a barrister typically for 3 to 4 days. Few candidates secure a pupillage offer without ever having undertaken a mini-pupillage. In 2024, 9.9% of candidates who had done mini-pupillage received an offer compared to 1.8% of candidates who had not, according to our Pupillage Gateway report.
To view a list of mini-pupillages, have a look at Chambers Student
