Pupillage

Crown Office Chambers is a leading London set specialising principally in civil, commercial and regulatory work. Chambers has more than 100 barristers, including 26 KCs, and its members act in significant cases before courts and tribunals in the UK and in international arbitration.

The Chambers has a broad practice covering commercial litigation, professional negligence, insurance and reinsurance, construction and engineering, international arbitration, personal injury, clinical negligence, health and safety, inquests and public inquiries, as well as energy, product liability, professional liability and sports law.

The Pupillage

Crown Office Chambers offers up to four pupillages each year. Pupillage lasts 12 months and is structured to give pupils exposure to a wide range of Chambers' work.

During the first six months, pupils work with two different supervisors, spending three months with each. During the second six, pupils work with a third supervisor for six months and receive regular instructions in their own right.

Pupils also work with other members of Chambers throughout the year rather than being limited to their individual supervisors. This provides exposure to different practice areas, types of cases and styles of advocacy, while giving pupils a broad foundation for a career at Chambers.

Second Six and Advocacy

Advocacy is an important part of practice at Crown Office Chambers. During the second six, pupils obtain substantial practical advocacy experience, regularly attending County Court and other hearings.

Pupils can expect to appear in court approximately three to four times a week during the second six, providing significant opportunities to develop advocacy skills while handling applications and other matters under appropriate supervision. Chambers also provides formal advocacy training throughout pupillage.

The pupillage programme is designed around the competencies contained in the BSB Professional Statement for Barristers. Pupils receive training and assessment throughout the year as they develop the skills required for independent practice.

Work During Pupillage

Crown Office Chambers' broad practice means that pupils can gain experience across a number of civil, commercial and regulatory disciplines.

Work can include legal research, drafting, written advice, pleadings, preparation for hearings, conferences and advocacy. Pupils are also able to work on matters involving different members of Chambers and develop experience across the set's principal areas of practice.

The Chambers' practice includes:

Commercial: Commercial litigation and disputes.

Construction and Engineering: Construction, engineering and infrastructure disputes.

Insurance and Reinsurance: Insurance coverage, liability and reinsurance disputes.

Professional Liability: Professional negligence and related claims.

Clinical Negligence and Personal Injury: Claims involving serious injury, medical treatment and related liability issues.

International Arbitration: Domestic and international commercial arbitration.

Energy and Natural Resources: Disputes and advisory work concerning energy and natural resources.

Health and Safety: Regulatory and enforcement matters involving health and safety.

Inquests and Public Inquiries: Representation and advice in investigations, inquests and public inquiries.

Product Liability and Property Damage: Disputes concerning defective products, property damage and related liability.

Sports Law: Sports-related disputes and advisory work.

Pupillage Award

The current published pupillage package is £90,000.

This comprises £75,000 together with £15,000 of guaranteed earnings during the second six. Pupils can also draw down up to £20,000 from the pupillage award in advance.

The financial structure provides pupils with substantial support before they begin practising in their own right and during the second six.

Tenancy

Pupillages are offered with a view to tenancy. Crown Office Chambers expressly states that pupils are not in competition with one another.

Every pupil who meets the Chambers' required standard for tenancy will be invited to join Chambers. This means the tenancy decision is based on whether an individual pupil reaches the required standard rather than on a fixed number of available tenancy places.

What Crown Office Chambers Looks For

Applications are assessed against objective criteria covering:

Intellectual ability and analytical skills: Candidates should demonstrate the ability to understand complex information, identify the important issues and develop logical and well-reasoned solutions.

Advocacy potential: This includes written and oral communication, clarity, persuasiveness and the ability to present legal arguments effectively.

Potential to become a successful barrister: Chambers considers qualities including determination, organisation, interpersonal skills and sound judgment.

Interest in Chambers: Candidates should demonstrate a genuine and informed interest in Crown Office Chambers and its areas of practice.

Integrity: Professional integrity is an important part of the assessment.

The interview process is competency-based, and candidates are encouraged to use the STAR approach when explaining relevant experiences and demonstrating their skills.

Academic and Graduate Background

Crown Office Chambers welcomes applications from both law and non-law graduates.

The recruitment process is designed to identify candidates with the intellectual ability, advocacy potential and personal qualities required for practice at the Bar rather than restricting applications to candidates from a particular academic background.

Recruitment Process

Applications are made through the Pupillage Gateway.

The current national timetable for the October 2028 pupillage cycle 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.

Crown Office Chambers uses a blind first-round application process. Applicants' names, gender and school are not disclosed to first-round sift assessors unless the applicant provides that information in an answer to one of the application questions. Chambers also uses RARE contextual recruitment to place applicants' achievements in their wider context.

Previous Crown Office Chambers applications have included questions concerning the candidate's motivation for becoming a barrister, communication skills, other relevant experience, academic results, areas of legal interest, reasons for applying to Chambers and analysis of a recent case from one of Chambers' practice areas. The exact questions for the 2028 recruitment round should be checked when the Gateway vacancy is published.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Crown Office Chambers welcomes applications from candidates from all backgrounds and particularly encourages applications from groups that are underrepresented at the Bar.

Chambers uses a number of measures designed to support fair recruitment, including contextual recruitment, blind first-round marking and training for members involved in recruitment.

Crown Office Chambers participates in initiatives including the Bar Disability Association Mini-Pupillage Scheme, 10,000 Black Interns, Access to the Bar, the Pegasus Access and Support Scheme and Inspiring the Future. Reasonable adjustments are available for candidates who require them during the recruitment process.

Mini-Pupillage

Mini-pupillage is a useful opportunity for prospective applicants to experience Crown Office Chambers and meet its members. Mini-pupillages are not formally assessed, although a mini-pupil's contribution may be assessed by the barristers with whom they work and may be taken into account in a subsequent pupillage application.

A mini-pupillage normally lasts two days, which can be consecutive or arranged separately depending on availability. Crown Office Chambers generally seeks to accommodate mini-pupillages between November and April for candidates intending to apply in the following pupillage round.

Chambers covers reasonable mini-pupillage expenses up to £250, including standard-class travel, subsistence and, where appropriate, accommodation. Discretionary grants may also be available where financial circumstances could otherwise prevent a suitable candidate from undertaking a mini-pupillage.

Application Deadline

Applications for the Crown Office Chambers Pupillage 2028 recruitment round should be submitted through the Pupillage Gateway.

Application opens: 4 January 2027 at 11:00am
Application deadline: 28 January 2027 at 11:59pm
Pupillage start: October 2028
Offers: 7 May 2027

Candidates should check the Pupillage Gateway and Crown Office Chambers' website when the 2028 vacancy is published for the final application questions and any recruitment-specific requirements.