We are not like other chambers and life as a pupil at Hardwicke isn't easy. We expect you to work hard; in return we will ensure you have the breadth and depth of experience needed for a successful career at the Bar.
On this site, you find out more about what we are looking for in a candidate, what we can offer you and what pupillage at Hardwicke is like - told by:
The Supervisors View
- Colm Nugent
I became a pupil supervisor in 2003, after completing my mini 'teacher-training' course and receiving a frighteningly large number of pieces of paper suggesting how I discharge my duties.
I was called in 1992 and so memories of my own pupillage are still fresh. I tried to recall from that experience what I found useful and what I found particularly irritating. I knew before undertaking my pupil supervisor training that Hardwicke Building took its treatment of pupils and pupillage generally, very seriously. Pupils are most certainly not simply there to make the tea, do lots of photocopying and work late into the night on their pupil-supervisors briefs that are getting a bit past their sell-by date. There is hard work, but the emphasis is on providing real training.
Personally, I avoid the use of the phrase 'pupil' when introducing my pupil to a client. They don't understand the phrase and it sounds, I suspect, rather archaic to those not familiar with the Bar. Clients are more comfortable with the self-explanatory 'trainee barrister'. So it was pleasing to know that we in Hardwicke Building, spurred on by our Pupillage Committee, were willing to break with old notions and bring a modern realism to what pupillage means.
In the limited time I have had to undertake my pupil-supervising duties, I have found that the following are truisms:
- Make your pupil feel as though they are part of your practice, rather than simply an appendage to it.
- Your pupil doesn't know how to do the job. That's why they are a pupil. It's not big or clever to tear their work to shreds.
- If you can't explain to your pupil why you've taken a certain course in the case you're preparing, it's probably not a good idea to take that course at all.
- There is a fine and indistinct line between a pupil shrinking into the background, and being annoyingly unobtrusive. It is up to the pupil supervisor to help the pupil tread that line.
- Client/people skills and a large measure of common sense will more than make up for lack of pure legal knowledge in a pupil. But pure legal knowledge is rarely ever a substitute for client/people skills and common sense.
- Pupils have a life outside chambers as well. Respect their private time and space and avoid carelessly mentioning at 6pm that they are needed until 10pm to help prepare a brief for the next day.
- That's because supervisors have an explicit or implicit power-relationship over a pupil, no matter how structured or informal the relationship. It is important to recognise that relationship exists and not to exploit it, even unthinkingly.
- A pupil appreciates being introduced to the client and having their role explained. So does the client.
- If given time to read, absorb and understand the case, a pupil can usually make observations which the barrister may not immediately consider. They bring a different perspective to a case and I have found that the pupil's input is overwhelmingly helpful.
- Pupils, like any person beginning in any organisation, appreciate guidance as to what to do, what not to do, and an element of planning and direction as to the immediate days ahead. Supervisors usually benefit from the self-same forethought.
Having to explain to a pupil why you are doing "x" rather than "y" in any given case, also makes one analyse the way you prepare cases and trials - a little self-analysis never hurt anyone!
Overall, the experience is a most rewarding one. It takes time and effort to undertake the role properly, and because 360-degree feedback is encouraged, I get to know how I am performing as a supervisor, in the same way that I can hopefully give useful feedback to my pupil.