For a profile of a barrister who is part of a common law set, see Matthew Hill of 1 Crown Office Row in the “Common law” chapter, p480. Crime sets Motoring offences, juvenile misdemeanours, murders, child abuse, terrorism, white-collar fraud, regulatory breaches – London’s crime sets handle just about every kind of violation. Check on the orientation and reputation of the sets you are hoping to apply to, and look at the biographies of juniors and seniors. You may spot an emphasis on defence or a focus on a particular type of crime. Some, for example, specialise in terrorism and extradition; others are boosting their regulatory practices, perhaps in specific sectors such as sport, professional discipline or health and safety. Those motivated primarily by money should look elsewhere. For a profile of a barrister who is part of a criminal law set, see Helen Law of Matrix Chambers in the “Crime” chapter, p486. Regional Bar: supersets and beyond Just over half of all chambers in England and Wales are located outside London, and just over one-third of all barristers in private practice work from within them. The main concentrations are in larger cities such as Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Leeds and Liverpool. Speak to any regional barrister and they will extol the virtues of a tight-knit professional community in which barristers know not only instructing solicitors, but also medical professionals, social workers and senior police officers. While it is true that London has a magnetic pull on high-value
cases, you will find commercial work in larger cities, where some sets have worked hard to compete with their peers in the capital - not least in relation to pricing. You may earn less in the regions; however, factor in the cost of living and a regional pupillage could make financial sense. Pupillage awards range from £12,000 to £30,000. The Birmingham Bar is home to the barrister superset. Here, two chambers in particular ¬– No5 and St Philips – have reshaped the market by drawing together barristers from many of the smaller sets. These barristers practise from state-of-the-art premises, aided by teams of business managers and professional marketers. No5, with more than 250 barristers, also has ‘annexes’ in London and Bristol. Public sector pupillages Both the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Government Legal Profession (GLP) offer pupillages leading to permanent roles with fixed salaries, holiday and sickness pay, pensions and all the usual employment protection rights. The CPS has lately tried to keep more of its prosecution advocacy in-house, as opposed to sending briefs to barristers in local chambers. Meanwhile, the GLP offers a rich training programme shared with solicitor hopefuls and a remarkably interesting career path that takes its lawyers from one government department to another over the course of a single career. The GLP is highly recommended for those who love politics, law and the idea of becoming a civil servant as well as an officer of the court.
Reality check: Competition for pupillage is fierce, so over and above getting exemplary grades, you need to show a commitment to joining the Bar. Mooting at university and doing mini-pupillages at chambers which interest you are great ways to demonstrate that you’re keen as well as learning more about the different types of atmosphere in different sets.
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