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 Pupil's View
- Neil Maton
I chose the Bar simply because I mooted continuously throughout University. I found that I enjoyed not only the oral presentation, but also researching the problem and finding the most suitable solution. I came to the bar slightly later than some people. I started my law degree at the age of 24.
Totally unlike other Chambers
Like most people I had made numerous pupillage applications. I had prepared the usual answers to the usual questions such as why I wanted to be a barrister, why I didn't want to be a solicitor, why I wanted to practise in a particular area, what did I learn from my mini-pupillages etc. However, the application procedure for pupillage at Hardwicke is more unusual. It is geared up to assess as much of the 'whole' person as it possible. I was particularly impressed to read on the website that Chambers make it perfectly clear that applications are welcome from any university. I immediately felt that Hardwicke wanted to get to know who I was, what I could really offer them and what my potential was. I felt that they wanted to strip away any preconceptions and labels and try to get to know me by providing me with a opportunity to present aspects of my personality in a very different refreshing way.
I was thrilled to be offered a first round interview. But when I received the letter inviting me back for an assessment day - I was nervous! They really did want to get to know more about me. I felt the interview process, which was extremely rigorous, enabled the pupillage committee to spend a reasonable amount of time with me, was a very fair and sensible method indeed. In fact, I can truly say that out of all the pupillage interviews, Hardwicke was the only one where we entered a steamy debate on some of the less conservative scenes of a particular Hollywood Movie!
Pupillage is
Pupillage is very hard. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It was very difficult to come to terms with the fact that I was going to make mistakes and lots of them. Of course you are not expected to know everything. Everyone knows and appreciates that you are new to the job. Having said that, you are of course expected to try your hardest. Pupillage is as much about learning what you don't know as what you do.
I genuinely don't think that it is possible to be too specific about the do's and don'ts of pupillage. The reason being is that in pupillage you are working so very intimately with professional individuals who have been running their own practices for many, many years. Naturally they have their own working methods around which they build very busy and successful practices.
From Bills of Lading to Ancillary Relief
I cannot think of another set of Chambers which provides it pupils with the opportunities to combine very diverse areas of law. The ability to experience the mix of top notch commercial with PI, Family, and perhaps a bit of licensing thrown in is a major attraction. This is the obvious advantage that I have had over all my contemporaries. Most of them just 'fell into' a particular area of law, without being given the opportunity to flavour other areas which they may not have considered.
Having said that, if you have a clear focus that you want one single area, say Property, Hardwicke will go out of their way to try to accommodate your wishes. As far as I am aware, no other set of Chambers provides you with that sense of freedom of choice.
The Structure
Pupillage is split into four 'seats.' Each quarter you are provided with 1 pupil supervisor and 2 'wingers'. You are expected to do numerous pieces of work for them. Your wingers may practise in areas which are wholly unrelated to your pupil supervisor.
The other crucial point about the structure of pupillage is the amount of feedback. I have always received feedback from my pupil supervisors and also my wingers. For example, if I have written an opinion for a winger, more often than not they have often taken the trouble to discuss that opinion in some detail, and then provide me with a copy of the work which they have sent out to the client. This is very useful as you get to see what you did well and whether you are aiming in the right direction or where you went wrong, and why your opinion was different. This approach made me feel that Chambers really wanted me to succeed and were going out of their way to help me.
Aside from the specific feedback on work, the pupillage committee like to keep an eye on how you are progressing generally. At the end of each quarter you have a structured review, where you sit down with a member of the pupillage committee and your pupil supervisor to see how you are getting on. The focus is to be frank and open about how things are going and what you want to achieve, and what your expectations are. This process is very important as it focuses your mind on what you want out of your pupillage and how Hardwicke can help you achieve that.
And Finally
Full-time on-site IT staff. Business style conferences suites. Desktop faxing. Catering staff. Chocolate biscuits. Earl Grey Tea. Filter Coffee. Friendly staff. Advocacy Training. Seminar Programmes. First Name terms with everyone. Air conditioning. A friendly working environment.
At Hardwicke you have all the benefits of the tradition of working within Lincoln's Inn, but with the added advantages of the modern facilities that you would expect from a well organised, business like environment. I genuinely cannot think of a better place to work.