Name: Jessica Wells Chambers: Essex Court Location: London University: University of Oxford Degree: Law
“You need confidence, an interest in the law and an interest in presenting arguments well,” she explains. “A lot of it is about how you communicate, orally but also in writing – being able to make a clear case.” Jessica is keen to emphasise the latter point as something to bear in mind when applying for a pupillage: “Remember that the application form is an example of your advocacy skills. Someone is going to be reading that form quite quickly and you want to make sure that you’ve argued your best case for why you should be taken on. You want your application to be clear, concise and readable – it’s one of the key skills that we’re looking for.” To those with a specific interest in public international law, Jessica is encouraging: “My advice is to go for it – there’s lots of work out there for juniors who are interested in that area. Research the chambers that specialise in it, try to do a mini-pupillage to get a feel for what the work involves and keep up to date with current affairs, so you know what international issues are out there.” While the job comes with its own set of responsibilities and challenges, she has no regrets about her career choice: “I can’t think of a job I’d rather do – it’s certainly fulfilled the expectations I had.”
International Court of Justice. There’s a whole range of work; international issues can come up in all kinds of cases – for example, it could be a divorce case where someone claims immunity. They crop up in unlikely places.” The political uncertainties around Brexit have unsurprisingly been generating interesting legal questions. Jessica has been involved in advising a range of different bodies on the possible impact of leaving the EU, both in the domestic and international spheres. This is likely to generate work – and fascinating intellectual issues – for a good while yet. While Jessica cites the importance of many public international cases as one of the most rewarding aspects of her job, she readily admits that it can feel like a downside at times. “The great thing about these cases is that they often involve really big issues that have important political consequences, which makes them really exciting and interesting to be involved in, and you learn a lot about the process of government and issues that really matter, like nuclear disarmament,” she explains. “The flip side of that is that it makes them quite stressful to deal with – particularly if you’re acting for a government. For instance, different departments may have different policy objectives and pressures and the case you’re working on may have implications in other areas so that has to be factored into decision making. It can be stressful, but most exciting things are challenging as well.” Making your case Jessica emphasises the importance of a strong academic record for those hoping to forge a career at the Bar. “Although getting a first isn’t necessarily a prerequisite, if you want to be a barrister, a good degree opens a lot of doors,” she advises. “It’s worth a bit of pain during your studies to put yourself in the best position that you can, because intellectual ability is the main criterion that everyone is looking for.” She also identifies some hallmarks of a successful barrister:
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