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• One Essex Court

• • General

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  • Pupillage

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  This is a set which came about in 1966 started by a breakaway group of barristers suffering claustrophobia in their then chambers. Today, One Essex Court (OEC) is considered among the top-tier chambers practising at the Bar.
  
  Commercial litigation and ADR are core areas of expertise at One Essex Court, home to over 60 barristers who are well-recognised in their respective fields of practice.

  The variety of work on offer at chambers is extensive and it is generally preferred that a barrister at Chambers become a ‘jack of all trades’, mastery comes with time and experience. The culture is decidedly casual and informal; the only restraints one might find as a practitioner are your own.
  
  The working ethos at Chambers is one of simple, practical and creative output, teamwork and camaraderie are appreciated and there is no rigid hierarchy or structure which separates the senior and well-established tenants from the junior and pupil crowd.
  
  Hours are on par with what a commercial solicitor would put in, the quality and not quantity of work is emphasized. Pupillage or tenancy at One Essex Court is an outstanding achievement on a CV for those who are committed to a career as a commercial barrister.

  One Essex Courts’s core practice areas are in arbitration, banking, civil fraud, commercial litigation, company law, insolvency, EU/competition, energy & utilities, financial services, insurance, intellectual property, licensing, professional negligence and revenue law.

  One Essex Court looks for candidates who have the potential to become future profitable tenants at the set. A minimum degree requirement of 2:1 is necessary, law and non-law students are both eligible.
  
  Other qualities sought for by chambers consist of confidence, enthusiasm, keen perceptiveness, ability to think creatively and quickly, good oral and written advocacy and excellent time and people management skills. You must obviously be ambitious and thrive on challenges, as well as being able to demonstrate a commitment to a career as a barrister.

  The chamber offers four funded pupillages each year during which pupils will spend 3 months with two different supervisors during the first six and with one supervisor for the second six.
  
  In addition pupils will also undertake work for other members of chambers as and when opportunities come up. During the second six, pupils will be exposed to advocacy by way of small trials in county courts and various tribunals.
  
  Progress is reviewed at the end of the first six and the future prospects of securing a tenancy are discussed at this point. Final tenancy decisions are taken in June and voted on by all members of chambers. Those not offered tenancy will be assisted by the chamber in gaining tenancy elsewhere.
  
  Mini-pupillages are conducted for a period of 1 to 2 days and are not assessed. Law students in their second year and non-law students who’ve finished the first term of the GDL/CPE course are eligible to attend.

  Chambers provides an annual award of £45,000 for the pupillage year and disbursed in two parts. The first part is paid out before and during the first six; £30,000 is the amount payable out of which up to £15,000 can be drawn down in the BVC year.
  
  The remaining £ 15,000 of the award is paid in equal monthly instalments during the second six. Any amount earned by pupils working on their own cases in the second six is retained by them without any contributions made to chambers.
  
  The chamber will also fund any prescribed and compulsory courses set by the Bar Council or the respective Inns.

  Application forms should be submitted through the OLPAS system, schedules and timetables along with forms are available at http://www.olpas.co.uk. All applications received at the chamber are reviewed by a panel of at least three members of the Pupillage Committee and selected candidates are invited to attend a single interview.
  
  This interview will also be conducted by at least three members of the Pupillage Committee. Mini-pupillages are conducted in three batches; the first is between January and April for which applications should be sent in between 1 September and 30 November.
  
  The second batch is conducted between April and June and application forms can be sent in between 1 December and 28 February. The third session of mini-pupillages are held between October and December, applications can be sent between 1 April and 30 June. There is no pre-formatted application available, interested candidates should send their CVs with university examination results till date.

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