Pupillage

Applications for our two 12-month pupillages starting September 2026 will open on Thursday 2 January 2025 at 11am.

Application timetable

Thursday 2 January 2025 11am to Thursday 6 February 2025 11.59 pm: you can email your application to us at pupillage26@fieldcourt.co.uk

You must only submit your application during this application window.

The Bar Council has prescribed that only applications received after 11am on Thursday 2 January and before 11.59pm on Thursday 6 February can be reviewed. Any applications or amendments to applications outside this time will be disregarded.

You will receive an automated acknowledgement.

Late March/April 2025: applicants will be contacted with a date and time for interview. If we have not contacted you on or before Thursday 17 April, please assume your application has been unsuccessful. Due to the high number of applications we do not provide feedback on unsuccessful applications.

Friday 9 May 2025 at 9.30 am: offers will be made.  Candidates are required to respond to the offer of pupillage within 7 days of the offer, although we invite a response as soon as possible as a matter of fairness to other applicants.   If our offer is accepted chambers and our pupils will enter into a pupillage contract.

Details of pupillage

Financial support

Our successful 2026 pupils will receive a total of £50,000 comprising a £25,000 grant in the first six and guaranteed earnings (billings) of £25,000 in the second six.  The grant is paid in the non-practising first six so it has the benefit of being tax-free (on HMRC’s current approach).  Our pupils have no difficulty in achieving their guaranteed earnings.

How is our pupillage structured?

Pupillage will be divided into 3 or 4 seats. During pupillage pupils will gain experience in our main practice areas.  Where possible, we try to accommodate pupils’ requests for a seat in a specific area of work. Second six pupils can expect to be in court regularly on their own cases.   The bulk of our work is in London and the South-East.

Our areas of practice

Our barristers undertake a wide range of work that can be broadly categorised as:

  • Business: commercial & company, insolvency, intellectual property/media and professional negligence litigation at all levels of courts
  • Employment: unfair dismissal, discrimination, whistleblowing claims, redundancies, TUPE transfers, working time, holiday and sickness claims, jurisdictional and post-employment issues
  • Family law: all areas including domestic and international litigation involving financial provision/remedies, child arrangements and section 8 orders, domestic violence, abduction, adoption, surrogacy and care proceedings
  • Housing: possession and eviction, homelessness, allocations and Judicial Review, anti-social behaviour, disrepair and service charges and housing policy and regulation
  • Property: all areas including commercial and residential landlord and tenant, real property, trusts of land,
  • Wills and administration: probate, succession, inheritance and administration matters
  • Public law & Court of Protection: judicial review, Court of Protection, election law, inquests & inquiries, local government and community care.
What are we looking for in a pupil?

Academic and intellectual ability: You must demonstrate a high standard of intellectual ability (recent tenants have worked as judicial assistants).  A 2.1 degree as a minimum is expected. But all applications will be considered on their overall merits.

Evidence of oral and written advocacy skills: You must show you can master a brief quickly, think on your feet and argue persuasively.

Motivation and determination: You need to be motivated, resilient and determined to succeed as a self-employed professional.

Interpersonal skills: You must be able to understand and address clients’ and solicitors’ needs and concerns and work effectively in a team.

Initiative:  You need to show initiative to solve problems and to develop your practice.

Evidence of relevant legal work experience: You have to demonstrate you have experience of various legal environments whether through volunteering, work experience or paid employment.

Other skills, employment and achievements: We recognise there is no ‘one template’ for a barrister. We value experience within and outside the legal sector.

How to apply

Please download and complete the application form  then send it to pupillage26@fieldcourt.co.uk between Thursday 2 January 2025 and Thursday 6 February 2025.

As part of meeting our commitments to equality and diversity, we also request that you fill in a diversity monitoring questionnaire.

You are not obliged to answer all or any of the questions but by providing this information you will help us to ensure that our recruitment is fair and objective.

  • The information it asks you to provide will be treated in the strictest confidence.
  • Your answers will not be seen by those considering your application.
  • Your data will be held confidentially by our Equality and Diversity Officer and used solely for statistical monitoring purposes.

We collect and analyse statistical information on everyone who applies for positions with us. This enables us to ensure that we continue to attract and select our pupils and members solely on their talent and potential to succeed.

Equal opportunities

We support and promote equal opportunity and treatment for all, regardless of sex, race, colour, ethnic or national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, religion, belief, or age.

In accordance with the Equality Act 2010, we will fully consider any request for reasonable adjustments.

Please note  expert advice on reasonable adjustments can be obtained from various sources including: