Pupillage

Brick Court Chambers is a leading commercial set based at 7-8 Essex Street in London. Chambers has a strong reputation in commercial, competition, public and international/EU law, with members acting in many of the leading cases of the day.

The work covers complex commercial disputes, competition litigation, public law, international and European law, arbitration and mediation. Members act for companies, governments, regulators, public authorities and individuals in high-value and often technically demanding disputes.

Pupillage provides an opportunity to work alongside leading practitioners and gain experience of the type of complex litigation and advisory work undertaken at the Commercial and Public Bars.

The Pupillage

Brick Court normally offers up to five 12-month pupillages each year.

The pupillage is designed to provide broad exposure to Chambers' practice while allowing pupils to develop their own interests. Each pupil is generally allocated to three different pupil supervisors during the year.

The choice of supervisors can reflect a pupil's interests. Some pupils begin pupillage with a clear idea of the area in which they would like to specialise, while others use the year to explore different areas of practice before deciding on a particular direction.

Pupils are also assigned both a senior mentor who is a KC and a junior mentor who is a junior tenant. These mentors provide an additional source of advice and support throughout the year.

Practice Areas

Brick Court's principal areas of practice include:

Commercial: Complex commercial litigation and advisory work involving contractual, corporate, financial and other business disputes.

Competition: Competition litigation and advisory work, including disputes involving businesses, regulators and public authorities.

Public Law: Judicial review, regulatory disputes and other significant public law matters.

International and EU Law: International and European legal issues arising in commercial, regulatory and public law disputes.

Arbitration: Domestic and international commercial arbitration, often involving substantial cross-border disputes.

Mediation: Members also act as mediators and assist clients in resolving complex commercial disputes without a full trial.

The breadth of Chambers' practice means that pupils can gain exposure to different areas of commercial and public law during the year.

Work Undertaken by Pupils

Pupils work on live matters with their supervisors and gain experience of the preparation involved in complex litigation and advisory work.

The work can include:

• Legal research and analysis.

• Drafting legal documents and written advice.

• Preparing arguments and case materials.

• Assisting with commercial and competition disputes.

• Preparing for hearings and conferences.

• Attending court and conferences with members of Chambers.

• Working on matters involving public, international and EU law.

The emphasis is on the quality rather than the quantity of work. Pupils are expected to receive work that develops their legal skills and gives them meaningful exposure to Chambers' practice.

Advocacy Training

Advocacy forms an important part of the training programme.

The Tenancy Committee arranges a series of advocacy exercises during the year, normally around six or seven exercises. The first two exercises are unassessed, allowing pupils to develop their advocacy in a training environment before formal assessment begins.

Later exercises are assessed, although the training element remains an important part of the programme. The exercises are intended to develop the ability to structure arguments, respond to questions and present a case clearly and persuasively.

Standardised Assessed Work

In addition to advocacy exercises and work undertaken for pupil supervisors, pupils complete six pieces of standardised assessed work during pupillage.

Each piece is set by a different member of Chambers and covers different areas of Chambers' practice.

The work is assessed blind by the member who set it. This provides a structured way of assessing pupils' legal analysis, written advocacy and ability to deal with different types of legal problem.

European Court Experience

Brick Court's international practice can provide pupils with opportunities to gain exposure to European litigation.

Where an appropriate opportunity arises, pupils may visit institutions or courts in Brussels, Luxembourg or Strasbourg.

Chambers funds the travel expenses for each pupil to attend one hearing in the European Courts during pupillage where a suitable opportunity is available.

What Brick Court Looks For

Brick Court does not seek candidates who fit a predetermined profile. Chambers expressly emphasises that there is no single Brick Court "type" and welcomes candidates from different backgrounds who demonstrate the ability and determination to succeed at the highest levels of the Bar.

The principal qualities assessed include:

Intellectual ability: Candidates should demonstrate strong academic ability and the capacity to understand difficult and complex legal issues.

Analytical ability: Applicants should be able to identify the important issues within substantial amounts of information, analyse problems carefully and reach sound conclusions.

Advocacy and communication: Clear written and oral communication, persuasive presentation and the ability to respond effectively to questions are important.

Resilience: The demands of commercial practice require candidates to demonstrate determination and the ability to maintain performance under pressure.

Self-motivation: Candidates should demonstrate the initiative and commitment required to develop a successful career at the Bar.

Brick Court's selection criteria apply to candidates regardless of background. Strong academic records are common among pupils, although Chambers does not require candidates to have studied law.

Academic Background

Brick Court expects pupils to have very strong academic backgrounds, but a law degree is not essential.

Candidates from non-law academic backgrounds are welcome to apply. The key consideration is whether the applicant has demonstrated the intellectual and analytical ability required to succeed in Chambers' demanding areas of practice.

The application process therefore looks beyond a particular academic subject and considers the candidate's overall intellectual potential and evidence of the qualities required at the Bar.

Recruitment Process

Brick Court recruits through the Pupillage Gateway.

For the 2028 intake, the national Pupillage Gateway timetable provides for applications to open on 4 January 2027 at 11:00am and close on 28 January 2027 at 11:59pm. Offers are scheduled for 7 May 2027.

Brick Court's recruitment process is distinctive because an assessed mini-pupillage forms an integral part of the selection process.

Stage 1: Pupillage Gateway Application

Candidates submit their application through the Pupillage Gateway.

Brick Court's Pupillage Committee considers applications anonymously against the Chambers' selection criteria, including intellectual ability, analytical ability, advocacy and communication skills, resilience, determination and self-motivation.

Stage 2: Assessed Mini-Pupillage

Brick Court's current policy is that it does not consider candidates for pupillage unless they have undertaken a mini-pupillage with Chambers.

For the 2028 recruitment process, Brick Court has stopped accepting separate applications for mini-pupillage. Instead, applications submitted through the Pupillage Gateway will initially be considered as applications for an assessed mini-pupillage.

This means that candidates do not simply apply for a conventional mini-pupillage separately and then submit a later pupillage application. The Gateway application itself initiates the selection process for the assessed mini-pupillage.

Stage 3: Assessed Mini-Pupillage

An assessed mini-pupillage normally lasts two days.

Mini-pupils are allocated a member of Chambers as their supervisor and may undertake research, review legal work, attend conferences and observe court hearings.

The mini-pupillage also includes a standard piece of assessed written work. The work is reviewed anonymously by members of the Pupillage Committee.

Mini-pupillages may be conducted remotely where a candidate's circumstances require this. For in-person mini-pupillages, Chambers currently contributes towards daily expenses and provides further assistance with accommodation and reasonable travel expenses for candidates based outside London.

Stage 4: Final Interview

All candidates who have undertaken an assessed mini-pupillage are considered for a final interview.

Brick Court normally invites approximately 15 candidates to the final interview stage.

Candidates receive a legal problem before the interview and the first part of the interview involves a short advocacy exercise based on that problem.

The problem is designed to be self-contained and does not require candidates to have specialist knowledge of a particular area of law. This allows the assessment to focus on analytical ability and advocacy rather than prior knowledge of a specialist subject.

Stage 5: Pupillage Offers

Successful candidates receive offers through the Pupillage Gateway in accordance with the applicable timetable.

Brick Court only offers pupillage to candidates whom Chambers considers to have a realistic prospect of ultimately obtaining tenancy.

Tenancy

Brick Court's policy is to recruit new tenants primarily from among its own pupils.

The Chambers only offers pupillage where it considers that the candidate has a realistic prospect of eventually becoming a tenant. This means that the pupillage selection process is designed to identify candidates who have the potential to build successful practices within Chambers.

Pupils who are not offered tenancy are nevertheless supported in finding alternative opportunities. Brick Court reports that the overwhelming majority of pupils who do not obtain tenancy at Chambers have secured tenancy at other leading sets, including 4 New Square, 3 Verulam Buildings, Quadrant Chambers, Monckton Chambers, One Crown Office Row, 20 Essex Street and 11 King's Bench Walk.

Pupillage Award

The current published award for 2027-28 is £90,000.

The award is divided between the two stages of pupillage:

£60,000 is paid in equal instalments during the non-practising pupillage.

£30,000 is paid in equal instalments during the practising pupillage.

Candidates who accept an offer of pupillage may draw down up to £30,000 of the non-practising award during the year preceding pupillage, subject to Chambers' approval.

Because the £90,000 figure is expressly published for the 2027-28 year, candidates applying for the 2028 intake should check the final Gateway vacancy for any updated award.

Support for New Tenants

Brick Court provides financial and professional support to new tenants.

New tenants receive an interest-free loan of £50,000, payable during the first six months of tenancy. The loan is normally repayable within two years of the first drawdown.

Junior tenants are not required to pay room rent or Chambers' expenses during their first year of practice, or until receipts reach £80,000, whichever occurs first.

Chambers also funds the attendance of new tenants during their first three years of practice on the South Eastern Circuit Bar Mess Foundation International Advocacy Course at Keble College, Oxford.

Regular practice management sessions are also provided by clerks and more experienced members of Chambers.

Mini-Pupillage Expenses

For in-person assessed mini-pupillages, Brick Court currently provides a small contribution towards daily expenses.

The current arrangement provides £10 per day, together with up to £100 for each night of overnight accommodation for candidates based outside London and reasonable travel expenses on production of receipts.

The precise arrangements should be checked against the information issued for the 2028 recruitment process.

Equality, Diversity and Social Mobility

Brick Court emphasises equality of opportunity and social mobility in its recruitment.

The Chambers' recruitment approach is intended to identify candidates with the ability and determination to succeed rather than applicants who fit a particular background or profile.

The use of anonymous assessment at several stages is intended to support a fair recruitment process, while the assessed mini-pupillage allows Chambers to evaluate candidates through their actual performance as well as their written application and interview.

Student Open Day

Brick Court also runs events for students interested in a career at the Bar.

A Student Open Day is scheduled for 29 September 2026. The event is intended to provide an introduction to life at the Bar and at Brick Court, including presentations from members of Chambers and information about pupillage and applications.

The Open Day is separate from mini-pupillage and does not constitute a mini-pupillage.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for Brick Court Chambers Pupillage 2028 is:

28 January 2027 at 11:59pm

Applications open on 4 January 2027 at 11:00am through the Pupillage Gateway. The Gateway timetable provides for offers to be made on 7 May 2027.

How to Apply

Candidates must apply through the Pupillage Gateway.

For the 2028 intake, the Gateway application will also be considered as an application for an assessed mini-pupillage. Candidates should therefore approach the application as the first stage of a wider selection process involving the assessed mini-pupillage, standardised written work and final advocacy interview.

Applicants should review Brick Court's published selection criteria carefully and ensure that their application demonstrates intellectual ability, analytical ability, communication and advocacy skills, resilience, determination and self-motivation.