What is the purpose of pupillage?

Aug 19, 2022

Written By Lauren Ainscough

Pupillage is the final step needed to qualify as a barrister. Usually completed in barristers’ chambers, pupillage is a 12-month training period consisting of two sixth-month phases (‘sixes’) completed under the supervision of a junior barrister. But what is the purpose of pupillage?

Formal training

The ultimate purpose of pupillage is to provide trainee barristers with the professional practical training. This is important if they wish to practise as fully qualified and independent barrister. In this sense, pupillage is to a prospective barrister what a training contract is to a trainee solicitor.

Without pupillage, prospective barristers cannot obtain ‘tenancy’ (a permanent place) within a set of chambers.

Preparing for practice

Pupillage provides trainees with supervised practical training that is intended to prepare them for practice at the Bar. The purpose of pupillage is therefore to equip trainee barristers with the professional skills and knowledge necessary to prosper as an independent barrister, both in the early years of practice and as their experience develops.

Trainee barristers undergoing pupillage (‘pupils’) will have already undergone the academic and vocational (i.e. the Bar Course) stages of their training. Pupillage helps trainees fuse together and consolidate everything already learned during these earlier stages whilst developing new skills associated with the practical, day-to-day work of chambers (such as drafting and advocacy).

But how does each ‘six’ help pupils prepare for practice?

Skills building: ‘first six’ vs ‘second six’

The ‘first six’ of pupillage is non-practising. It largely consists of shadowing a pupil supervisor whilst they attend court and meet with solicitors, as well as assisting them with completing legal research and preparing legal documents.

The level of close supervision and guidance is key in this non-practicing stage. This is necessary if a barrister is to understand the conduct, etiquette and attributes expected of them when dealing with clients, courts and other legal professionals. Therefore, the purpose of the first six is to let a pupil observe, whilst under the guiding wing of an experienced barrister, what being a barrister entails, as well as developing drafting and research skills.

However, during the second six of pupillage, a pupil is able to work more independently. This includes taking on their own cases and advising their own clients. The purpose of this stage is therefore to allow prospective barristers to learn how to handle their own workload (and how to cope with the responsibility and pressure that follows), develop their advocacy skills more independently and grasp how to deal with various people in the legal industry (clients/solicitors etc).

The second six gives pupils a chance to put into practice what they have learnt and observed whilst shadowing their pupil supervisor. This marked a transition from guided learning to dealing with the type of independent work they can expect as a newly qualified barrister.

Useful for chambers

Chambers typically use pupillage as a way to scout out and recruit talented barristers. It gives them an opportunity to assess whether a pupil could be a long-term asset and ultimately whether they would be a suitable candidate for tenancy. Whilst chambers do therefore recruit with a view to granting a pupil tenancy, it is worth noting that this is not guaranteed.

Pupillage