Career timetable: barristers
First-year law and second-year non-law students The key to this year is thinking ahead. Focus on getting top grades, do your homework on the Bar and get involved in activities that will look good on your CV (mooting and debating are essential, but examples such as Duke of Edinburgh awards or captaining a sports team are also great). You should also look out for virtual activities such as webinars and virtual mini- pupillages, as well as online activities at university such as virtual mooting. Research and apply for work experience (be it mini-pupi l lages or non-formal placements) in chambers for your summer hol iday, in as many different work areas as you can. For alternative work experience, see the ‘Free Representation Unit’ chapter. Remember that without work experience, any appl ication for pupi l lage is unl ikely to be taken seriously. Join one of the four Inns of Court, which are non-academic societies that provide activities and support for barristers, pupils and students. You must join an Inn 12 weeks before you intend to commence the Bar course, but it is a case of the earlier, the better in terms of getting involved with the activities and using the facilities (eg, library and common rooms). Note that barrister training has changed, and universities and law schools have introduced new Bar courses to replace the Bar Professional Training Course from September 2020. The changes should make barrister training cheaper and more accessible without much disruption to the timetable described here. Students must pass their Bar course to be eligible for pupillage. Find out more about the changes in the ‘Bar Standards Board (BSB)’ chapter and stay up to date by checking LawCareers.Net.
Ultimately, there are three requirements to qualify as a barrister. You must complete: • the academic stage – a degree (law or non-law), plus a graduate law conversion; • the vocational stage – a postgraduate Bar course; and • the pupillage/work-based learning stage. Second-year law and final-year non-law students Autumn term, winter holidays and spring term Attend relevant careers events, including careers fairs, presentations and talks, and pupillage fairs. Again, make sure you look out for any virtual versions of such events. Look into funding possibilities for postgraduate training (eg, local education authority grants and Inn scholarships). Keep applying for mini-pupillages. Non-law degree students will need to apply for a place on a law conversion course such as the Graduate Diploma in Law (GDL). If you intend to study the GDL full time, you should apply through the Central Applications Board (www.lawcabs.ac.uk) from September onwards in your final year at university. There is no closing date for applications; rather, applications are dealt with as they are submitted, and institutions are notified weekly of new submissions. Applications for part-time courses must be made directly to the provider. Summer holidays Find out about pupillage applications. Look at the different Bar course providers and check their application details. Gain further work experience.
Final-year law and GDL students Autumn term
Start making applications for pupillage. Finalise your funding options and be clear about the closing dates for funding applications. For more on funding, see the ‘Financing the vocational courses’ chapter.
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