Pupillage

Francis Taylor Building (FTB) is a leading specialist public law set based at the Inner Temple in London. Chambers has a particularly strong reputation in planning, environmental and licensing law, alongside related areas including public law, compulsory purchase and compensation, major infrastructure projects, rating, highways, commons and open spaces, ecclesiastical law and alternative dispute resolution.

FTB's members are regularly involved in significant cases and inquiries, including matters before the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court. Pupils have the opportunity to work on important and often high-profile cases while developing the skills required for a career at the public, planning and environmental Bar.

The Pupillage

FTB normally recruits up to two pupils each year for a 12-month pupillage.

The year is divided into three four-month seats, with each seat undertaken with a different pupil supervisor. The first six months are non-practising, allowing pupils to concentrate on learning, research, drafting and observing members of Chambers. The second six months are practising, giving pupils the opportunity to undertake advocacy and develop their own practice under supervision.

Pupils are not placed in competition with each other. FTB's approach is that if both pupils reach the required standard for tenancy, both will be offered tenancy.

Practice Areas

FTB's specialist practice includes:

Planning: Planning applications, appeals, inquiries, judicial review and statutory challenges.

Environmental: Environmental regulation, environmental impact assessment and environmental disputes.

Licensing: Licensing and regulatory matters involving public authorities and private organisations.

Public Law: Judicial review, administrative law and challenges involving public bodies.

Compulsory Purchase and Compensation: Compulsory acquisition of land and disputes concerning compensation.

Major Infrastructure Projects: Legal issues arising from major infrastructure and development projects.

Rating: Business rates and related property and local government issues.

Highways, Commons and Open Spaces: Disputes concerning public rights, highways, common land and open spaces.

Ecclesiastical Law and Religious Liberty: Specialist disputes involving ecclesiastical and religious matters.

The Chambers also has expertise in alternative dispute resolution and related areas of public and regulatory law.

Training and Development

FTB provides a structured training and assessment programme throughout pupillage. The programme is overseen by the Pupillage and Tenancy Committee and is designed around the competencies required by the Bar Standards Board's Professional Statement.

During the first four months, pupils attend 14 practice-area-specific seminars delivered by members of Chambers. These sessions introduce pupils to the specialist areas in which FTB practises and help build the legal knowledge required for the work they will encounter.

Advocacy is a particularly important part of the training programme. Pupils undertake a series of mock hearings designed to replicate the advocacy they may perform as tenants. These include three mock High Court hearings and two mock planning inquiries.

The mock High Court hearings may be presided over by current or former members of the judiciary. The planning inquiries involve external consultancy firms acting as witnesses. Pupils receive both written and oral feedback following the exercises.

Work During Pupillage

Pupils work on real matters undertaken by members of Chambers and are exposed to the practical demands of public and environmental law.

During the non-practising first six, pupils develop their research, drafting and analytical skills while accompanying members to hearings, inquiries and other professional engagements.

The practising second six provides significantly more direct advocacy experience. Pupils can regularly appear in court on their own cases and clients, while also acting as juniors to other members of Chambers on more complex matters.

Pupils are encouraged to undertake work for a range of members rather than limiting their experience to their supervisor's practice. They may also undertake appropriate pro bono work as part of their professional development.

Assessment and Feedback

Assessment takes place throughout the pupillage rather than being concentrated at the end of the year.

Pupils receive feedback from supervisors and other members for whom they undertake work. At the end of each four-month seat, pupils receive a report from their supervisor and have an opportunity to discuss their progress.

The Pupillage and Tenancy Committee also meets pupils during the year to monitor their development and ensure that appropriate support and feedback are being provided.

The advocacy programme provides additional structured assessment through the mock High Court hearings and planning inquiries.

What FTB Looks For

FTB looks for ambitious and able candidates with strong academic credentials, together with a genuine interest in public law and the specialist areas in which Chambers practises.

Candidates are assessed against objective criteria throughout the recruitment process.

At the paper sift stage, the principal criteria are:

Academic achievement and intellectual ability

Advocacy experience and achievement

Suitability for and interest in FTB's work

Non-legal work, interests and life experience

At interview, candidates are assessed on:

Intellectual ability

Articulacy and cogency

Interest in FTB's areas of work

Suitability for a career at Francis Taylor Building

FTB does not expect candidates to have detailed knowledge of planning or environmental law before applying. However, applicants should have a strong understanding of public law and judicial review, as these areas form the basis of the legal problem questions used during the interview process.

Academic Requirements

FTB requires candidates to have achieved at least an upper second-class degree. The degree does not need to be in law.

A first-class degree or Master's qualification is not essential. FTB recognises that academic ability can be demonstrated in other ways, including scholarships, academic awards, essay competitions and academic publications.

The Chambers recruits from a wide range of universities and does not require applicants to have attended a particular institution.

Application Process

Applications are made through the Pupillage Gateway.

For the 2028 pupillage cycle, the national Gateway application window opens at 11:00am on 4 January 2027 and closes at 11:59pm on 28 January 2027. Offers are scheduled to be made on 7 May 2027 at 9:30am. No applications or amendments can be submitted after the closing time and extensions are not permitted.

Stage 1: Paper Sift

FTB first conducts a paper sift of applications to identify candidates for first-round interview.

The Chambers normally invites around 30 candidates to the first round.

Applications are assessed against academic achievement and intellectual ability, advocacy experience and achievement, suitability and interest in FTB's work, and non-legal work, interests and life experience.

Stage 2: First-Round Interview

The first-round interview lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Candidates receive a short public law problem question shortly before the interview and spend most of the interview discussing and analysing the problem with the panel.

The panel may also ask questions about the application and the candidate's reasons for applying to FTB.

The interview panel consists of two members of Chambers who will not have been involved in the paper-sifting process.

Stage 3: Second-Round Interview

FTB normally invites up to 12 candidates to the second round.

The second interview lasts approximately one hour and follows a similar structure to the first interview. Candidates are again given a public law problem shortly before the interview and are expected to analyse and discuss it with the panel.

The interview also provides an opportunity to discuss the candidate's reasons for applying and suitability for a career at the planning and environmental Bar.

The panel consists of at least three members of Chambers at different levels of seniority, none of whom will have participated in the earlier stages.

Candidates invited to the second round are also invited to a drinks reception. This is deliberately kept separate from the formal recruitment process and is intended to give candidates an opportunity to learn more about life at FTB and speak informally with members of Chambers.

Mini-Pupillage

A mini-pupillage with FTB is not a requirement for applying for pupillage.

However, Chambers encourages prospective applicants to undertake mini-pupillage with FTB or another set practising in similar areas. This can help candidates demonstrate their interest in and suitability for planning, environmental and public law.

FTB also recommends gaining practical exposure to its areas of work by attending planning or licensing committee meetings, planning inquiries and judicial reviews. Online seminars, specialist legal blogs and other publicly available resources can also help candidates develop a better understanding of the work undertaken at Chambers.

Pupillage Award

FTB currently publishes a pupillage award of not less than £80,000, including £15,000 of guaranteed earnings during the second six, for pupils commencing in 2027.

Pupils commencing in 2027 can also draw down up to £25,000 in the year before pupillage begins.

As the published £80,000 figure is expressly identified by FTB as applying to the 2027 intake, the financial package for the October 2028 intake should be checked against the final 2028 vacancy before publication or application.

Tenancy

Pupils are automatically considered for tenancy towards the end of pupillage. There is no separate application or interview.

The tenancy decision is based on the pupil's assessments, feedback from supervisors and work undertaken for other members of Chambers.

FTB does not place pupils in competition with one another. If both pupils meet the required standard for tenancy, both will be offered tenancy.

FTB reports a 93.75% retention rate, with 15 former pupils becoming tenants over the previous eight years.

Support and Life at Chambers

FTB describes itself as a supportive and collegiate set. Pupils are assigned a junior practitioner mentor at the beginning of pupillage who can provide advice and support throughout the year.

Pupils are encouraged to participate in Chambers' social life and to become involved in the wider life of Chambers.

FTB also recognises the financial difficulties associated with entering the Bar and provides a funded pupillage together with financial support for mini-pupils, including reimbursement of relevant expenses and accommodation costs where an overnight stay in London is necessary.

Equality and Diversity

FTB applies objective selection criteria and provides equality and diversity training to those involved in its pupillage recruitment process.

Chambers encourages applications from women, members of ethnic minority groups, people with disabilities and others from groups currently underrepresented in Chambers.

FTB also recognises the financial barriers associated with entering the profession and has introduced measures intended to make access to its pupillage opportunities more accessible.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for Francis Taylor Building Pupillage 2028 is:

28 January 2027 at 11:59pm

Applications open on 4 January 2027 at 11:00am through the Pupillage Gateway. The national Gateway timetable confirms that no applications or amendments can be submitted after the deadline.

How to Apply

Candidates should apply through the Pupillage Gateway during the January 2027 application window.

Applicants should ensure that they can demonstrate strong academic and intellectual ability, clear advocacy and communication skills, an informed interest in public law and a genuine interest in FTB's planning, environmental and related areas of practice.