Pupillage

11KBW offers up to five pupillages each year. The pupillage lasts 12 months and is divided into three stages, with each stage undertaken with a different supervisor or supervisors.

The first three months provide pupils with an opportunity to settle into Chambers and develop an in-depth understanding of day-to-day practice. Pupils work closely with their supervisors, learning not only about the legal work being undertaken but also how experienced barristers approach problems, construct arguments and develop strategies.

From the fourth month onwards, pupils undertake increasing amounts of assessed work. They work not only for their supervisors but also on matters set by other members of Chambers. This gives pupils exposure to a wider range of legal expertise and enables different members of Chambers to assess their work.

During the final three months, pupils complete their pupillage training and begin preparing for practice. Following the tenancy decision in July, pupils who obtain tenancy can begin taking cases with appropriate supervision and support. Pupils who do not obtain tenancy are given assistance in finding other opportunities.

Real Legal Work

Pupils do not practise independently before the tenancy decision, but the work undertaken during pupillage is based on real cases. Pupils may draft opinions, skeleton arguments, pleadings and legal notes and can contribute to some of Chambers' significant and challenging work.

The work can include matters involving senior appellate courts and international litigation, including cases before the Supreme Court and International Court of Justice.

Pupils also develop their oral advocacy throughout the year. They observe barristers in court, participate in oral advocacy exercises and receive detailed feedback from senior members of Chambers. Oral advocacy sessions are also held following assessed written work.

Practice Areas

11KBW's core areas of practice include:

Employment: Employment litigation and related advisory work.

Public: Public and administrative law, including significant public law disputes.

Commercial: Commercial litigation and related advisory work.

Media and Data Privacy: Media law, privacy and data-related disputes.

New tenants are able to develop their practices with considerable autonomy. 11KBW states that many new tenants initially gain experience across all four core practice areas before deciding whether to specialise or maintain a broad practice.

What 11KBW Looks For

11KBW describes its barristers as innovative, precise and strategic problem-solvers and exceptional independent thinkers. The recruitment process is therefore designed to identify candidates with strong potential rather than a single predetermined profile.

The first stage assesses three principal criteria:

Intellectual ability: Weighting ×3

Written advocacy: Weighting ×2

Oral advocacy: Weighting ×1

Each criterion is scored from 1 to 4. Applicants must score at least 3 for intellectual ability to proceed to further assessment.

11KBW normally expects applicants who have completed their first degree to have achieved a high 2:1 or first-class degree. A degree can be in any academic subject. The Chambers may take exceptional mitigating circumstances or later high academic achievement into account, such as a Merit or above at Master's level or a Distinction in the CPE.

A law degree is not required. 11KBW states that many of its members have degrees in subjects other than law and that it welcomes the diversity of experience this brings.

Four-Stage Application Process

The recruitment process consists of four stages.

Stage 1 – Pupillage Gateway Application

Applications are made through the Bar Council's Pupillage Gateway, which 11KBW states is likely to open in January 2027.

The application is assessed against intellectual ability, written advocacy and oral advocacy. Applicants are expected to provide evidence demonstrating their abilities in each area.

Stage 2 – Assessed Written Work

Selected candidates are invited to complete an assessed piece of written work.

The exercise is normally completed remotely. Candidates receive a self-contained set of papers and have 48 hours to complete the exercise, although 11KBW states that the work is not expected to take more than 12 hours.

The assessment focuses on:

Analytical thinking: Weighting ×4

Judgment: Weighting ×2

Clarity of writing: Weighting ×3

Stage 3 – Assessed Mini-Pupillage Day

Candidates selected following the written assessment are invited to Chambers for an oral assessment and assessed mini-pupillage day.

The exercise is based on the candidate's assessed written work and provides an opportunity to spend more time at Chambers, learn about its work and experience how its members operate.

The assessment considers analytical thinking, judgment and clarity of writing.

Stage 4 – Final Interview

Candidates who progress through the earlier stages are invited to a final interview.

The interview will usually include an advocacy exercise and a discussion of a recent case. The final selection takes account of the combined results from the written and mini-pupillage assessments.

Successful candidates receive offers through the Pupillage Gateway in accordance with the Bar Council's mandatory timetable.

Assessment During Pupillage

Assessment does not take place only at the end of the year. Feedback is provided continuously throughout pupillage by supervisors and other members of Chambers.

Significant written work is assessed against objective criteria including legal research, analysis and judgment. Work undertaken for members other than the pupil's supervisor is marked by two members of Chambers, with feedback provided to the pupil.

Oral advocacy is assessed through regular feedback sessions and dedicated advocacy exercises during the year. The purpose of this ongoing assessment is to help pupils identify strengths and areas for improvement before the tenancy decision.

Tenancy

The tenancy decision is made in July.

11KBW states that pupils are not in competition with each other for tenancy. Instead, pupils are assessed against a transparent and objective standard, and Chambers' stated policy is to offer tenancy to every pupil whose work consistently reaches the required tenancy standard by the time the decision is made.

Pupillage Award

For pupils commencing in October 2027, the pupillage award is £90,000 for the full 12 months.

Up to £25,000 of the award may be paid in advance during the candidate's BPTC year.

Applications from Overseas

Candidates who are living or studying outside the UK can apply. 11KBW's recruitment process is designed to facilitate remote applications, with personal attendance required only at later stages.

Where candidates are based abroad, the oral assessment element of the mini-pupillage day and the interview can be conducted remotely. The Bar Council manages sponsorship arrangements for applicants who meet the relevant criteria but do not currently have the right to work in the UK.

Equality and Diversity

11KBW welcomes applications from talented candidates regardless of background and states that it strongly encourages applications from members of groups that are under-represented at the Bar.

Reasonable adjustments are available for disabled candidates and pupils where appropriate. Candidates requiring adjustments can contact Chambers to discuss their requirements.

Travel and Accommodation Expenses

The recruitment process is designed to reduce the financial burden on applicants who are not based in London by limiting the stages requiring attendance in Chambers.

For candidates who reach the mini-pupillage day and interview and live outside the M25, 11KBW states that it will reimburse reasonable travel or accommodation expenses.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for the 11KBW Pupillage 2027 is 28 January 2027.