We are instructed on a very wide range of cases - from major international litigation involving multi-national companies to county court disputes over the family home.  Much of our work is done in London, though we frequently advise and appear from clients in other parts of the United Kingdom and abroad.  Junior tenants may also have an opportunity to undertake a placement overseas.

The typical recruit has a first class mind, a sense of commercial practicality, and will enjoy and be stimulated by the challenge of advocacy.

Academically we look for a first or upper second class honours degree. Pupils must have an aptitude for and general enjoyment of complex legal argument.

Your aptitude for and enjoyment of advocacy can be tested by mooting and debating. If you undertake CPE and/or the BVC year in London, work for the Free Representation Unit is strongly recommended.

Not all members of chambers have law degrees and we recognise that training in other academic disciplines can be a good preparation for the legal world. We encourage both law students and non-law students to apply.

Our Work

Modern cases often do not fit neatly into traditional categories like Chancery, Queen's Bench or Commercial Court litigation. Commercial chancery barristers have to have practical experience of each of these courts and expertise in the ways in which their procedures differ and their areas of law overlap. This means, for example, that we can deal with an insolvency point in a construction dispute, or a copyright issue in a company law problem. This gives us an advantage over those who specialise in more narrow fields of business law.

We enjoy excellent relations with numerous good firms of solicitors, from the major city players to the small provincial firms who provide a significant proportion of interesting and high profile work. Juniors are frequently in court either on their own account, or as first juniors to the silks, or as part of a larger team involved in a major case. The newcomers gain vital experience of advocacy in the Companies Court, on High Court interim applications and in the County Court.

Structure

We offer up to three 12-month pupillages, all of which are funded. All pupils in chambers are regarded as potential tenants.

Pupils spend their first two months in chambers (October and November) with one pupil supervisor, in order that the pupil can find his or her feet and establish a point of contact which will endure throughout the pupil's time in chambers.

Between December and July in the following year, each pupil will then spend with five further pupil supervisors. We believe that it is important for pupils to see all of the different kinds of work we do in chambers so that they can be sure that the Chancery Bar suits them. It also gives different members of chambers the opportunity to assess them. As each member of chambers has a distinctive method of working, dividing the pupillage up in this way helps in developing a pupil's individual approach to work at the Bar.

When another member of chambers has a particularly interesting case in court, pupils will often be given the opportunity to work on the matter and to see the hearing take place.

We also give our pupils a structured advocacy training course, which consists of advocacy exercises conducted in front of other members of chambers.

After six months chambers will review how each of the pupils has performed and give each an indication of his or her prospects of being offered a tenancy. This affords the opportunity to consider whether to move for the second six months to another chambers where chances of tenancy may be better. All pupils are, however, entitled to stay to complete 12 months of funded pupillage with us if they wish.

A decision as to whether to offer each pupil a tenancy is usually made in June or July. If no offer of tenancy is made, we make every effort to try to help pupils in obtaining pupillage or tenancy elsewhere.

Funding

A pupillage award of £40,000 for pupillage starting in October 2008 is offered to all pupils in chambers. Up to £10,000 of the award may be drawn down in advance during the BVC year or to pay BVC fees. The balance of the award is paid in instalments monthly in advance. Prospective pupils may also be able to obtain awards from the Inns of Court. Applications for these awards should be made to the Inns.

Income Guarantee: Chambers operates an Income Guarantee Scheme for the benefit of junior tenants who have successfully completed their pupillage.  This scheme operates within the first two years of practice.  Further details can be provided on request.

Equal Opportunities & Diversity

All applicants for pupillage (as for tenancy) are selected on merit in keeping with all applicable equal opportunities legislation, regulations and codes of practice.  We ensure that all our vacancies are advertised, we strive to ensure that the application process is user-friendly, diversity-compliant and accessible, and we undertake a detailed review (including a diversity analysis) after each year’s application procedures are complete to consider what, if any, refinements should be made.

The real story .....

An extract from Legal Week Student Issue (Nov 08)

Jonathan Allcock, barrister, Maitland chambers

Jonathan Allcock, 26, began working at Maitland Chambers as a full-time barrister at the beginning of October, after completing his pupillage at the set.

He says: “Pupillage was tough but enjoyable. I got to experience fantastic, high-calibre work on very significant cases, covering interesting areas of law. I felt that my opinions and contributions were valued. One concern you have is that you might be largely invisible, but the days of the ‘silent pupil’ who was expected to ‘shut up and listen’ are long gone.”

Allcock graduated from Trinity College, Oxford in 2005 with a degree in Modern Languages and then undertook the Graduate Diploma in Law at City University. He then completed the Bar Vocational Course at BPP law school — having already secured a pupillage at Maitland Chambers.

“I was one of the lucky ones,” he says. “I applied for pupillage while I was doing the GDL and having a place already secured meant I was able to relax a little during the BVC.”

Of the BPP course Allcock says: “On the whole I enjoyed it — parts of the course were good and parts not so good. I enjoyed the advocacy element most.”

Prior to securing pupillage, Allcock arranged a series of mini-pupillages at six chambers — all commercial or Chancery sets, including Maitland, Serle Court and 7 King’s Bench Walk.

Does he have any advice for would-be barristers? “When applying for pupillage it is essential to show an interest in the profession by undertaking a range of mini-pupillages and by mooting. As for pupillage itself, realise that it is going to be very hard work, but good work does get recognised. Aim for consistency and don’t be afraid to speak up. I had a fantastic year as a pupil.”