Pupillage Fair 2024: your guide to the event

The Inns of Court are key institutions for the Bar, and every barrister must be a member of one of them. There are four Inns - Lincoln's Inn, Inner Temple, Middle Temple and Gray's Inn - and students join before beginning the vocational component of becoming a barrister. They have a central role in the education of young barristers and oversight over several parts of becoming a barrister. Additionally, they are also the Bar’s largest scholarship providers, awarding approximately £6m to aspiring barristers each year.

lincolnsinn.org.uk
innertemple.org.uk
middletemple.org.uk
graysinn.org.uk

chba.org.uk

The Chancery Bar Association was established in 1935 and is the oldest specialist bar association and has over 1400 members.  Our members are barristers who practise chancery law, offering a great depth of legal expertise across the whole spectrum of finance, business and property law.  

Our members provide specialist advice and high-quality advocacy in all courts and tribunals in England and Wales and in many courts and tribunals abroad. They regularly appear in the Chancery Division of the High Court but are equally at home in other divisions of the High Court.  Our members also appear in county courts, specialist tribunals, arbitrations and mediations.  

combar.com 

Combar is the specialist Bar Association for commercial barristers advising the international business community.  Combar represents over 1,600 commercial barristers and 38 member sets providing specialist advice, advocacy, and mediation services in relation to commercial law for businesses, individuals and other organisations.  

A lot of work is heard in the Commercial Court, but Combar members appear as counsel in all the courts of England and Wales as well acting in dispute resolution processes in all forms – litigation, arbitration, and mediation – taking place worldwide.  

Combar members work closely, not just with solicitors in this jurisdiction, but with law firms and co-counsel in every corner of the globe. 

criminalbar.com

The Criminal Bar Association exists to represent the views and interests of specialist criminal barristers in England and Wales.

We offer several bursaries to members each year and provide a yearlong calendar of education with speakers from several academic institutions, the Bench and of course, the Bar.  

Student membership is welcome, and those with in interest in criminal law are invited to consider our ‘shadowing scheme’, the details of which are on the website under Social Mobility. 

elba.org.uk

Employment Law Bar Association (ELBA) represents and supports UK barristers working in employment law. Formed in 1994, we are involved in government, and other, consultations as well as supporting our members through meetings, dinners and other events.

flba.co.uk

The FLBA is the specialist Bar Association for the Family Bar in England and Wales. Our members are employed and self-employed family barristers and we welcome applications from students and those that have secured pupillage. We are actively involved in promoting family justice through our work and regular events, as well as promoting the well-being of our members, on a regional and national basis.

piba.org.uk

The Personal Injuries Bar Association (PIBA) is the specialist bar association for barristers who practise in the field of personal injuries. The aims of PIBA are to provide a forum for discussion on matters of common concern and interest to our members; to ascertain and represent the views of members on matters affecting their professional interests; and to further the study, understanding and development of the law relating to personal injuries.

PIBA is also committed to promoting equality, diversity, and inclusion amongst its members as well as aspiring barristers from diverse backgrounds who wish to practice in this area.

If you are interested in finding out more about practicing in personal injury law, please visit piba.org.uk.

tecbar.org

The Technology and Construction Bar Association (TECBAR) is the specialist Bar association for employed or self-employed barristers who practise in the Technology and Construction Court, forming part of the UK’s Business and Property Courts, or before adjudicators, arbitrators, both domestic and international, and other tribunals.

If you are interested in finding out more about practicing in technology and construction law, please visit tecbar.org.