Pupillage

Gatehouse Chambers is a progressive and specialist set of barristers based at Gray's Inn in London. Its members are recognised in Chambers and Partners and Legal 500 across its principal practice areas, with particular strengths in property, commercial disputes, personal injury and clinical negligence, construction, insolvency, private client and costs.

The Chambers combines specialist legal expertise with a strong emphasis on approachability, inclusivity and professional development. Pupils are treated as part of Chambers from the beginning of their pupillage and are encouraged to become involved in its wider professional and social life.

The Pupillage

Gatehouse offers up to two 12-month pupillages each year.

Pupils work with three different supervisors during the year. Each seat provides exposure to the supervisor's practice while pupils are also allocated two additional members, known as "wingers", for whom they are expected to undertake work.

Pupils are encouraged to work for as many other members of Chambers as possible. This provides exposure to different areas of practice, working styles and types of case.

Gatehouse allows pupils to express preferences about the areas in which they would like to develop their experience and will endeavour to accommodate those preferences. At the same time, pupils are encouraged to remain open-minded because practical experience at the Bar can differ considerably from academic study.

Practice Areas

Gatehouse has a broad common-law and commercial practice. Its principal areas include:

Property: Property litigation and disputes involving land and property.

Commercial Disputes: Commercial litigation and disputes arising from business relationships and transactions.

Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence: Claims involving personal injury, medical treatment and clinical negligence.

Construction: Construction disputes and litigation concerning building and development projects.

Insolvency: Corporate and personal insolvency, bankruptcy and related disputes.

Private Client: Trusts, estates and other private client matters.

Costs: Costs litigation and disputes concerning legal costs and funding.

The breadth of the practice means that pupils can develop experience across several areas before deciding where they would like to focus their practice.

First Six Months

The first six months are primarily focused on learning and observing experienced practitioners.

Pupils shadow their supervisors and work with them on live cases. Typical work includes drafting opinions and proceedings, legal research and attending court and client conferences.

Pupils also undertake work for their wingers and other members of Chambers. This gives them a broader understanding of the work available at Gatehouse and allows members other than their principal supervisors to assess their progress.

Towards the end of the first six months, junior members of Chambers take pupils to court so that they can observe the types of hearings and cases they may undertake during their practising second six.

Second Six

The second six is a practising period in which pupils begin undertaking their own court work and paperwork for clients under appropriate supervision.

Pupils can expect to be in court approximately two to three times a week. Much of this work takes place in the County Court, with occasional High Court matters.

The work can include possession proceedings, property-related injunctions, bankruptcy and winding-up petitions and small claims trials.

Gatehouse encourages pupils to gain as much practical advocacy experience as possible during the second six, providing an early opportunity to develop the skills required for independent practice.

Advocacy Training

Advocacy is an important part of the Gatehouse pupillage programme.

Pupils receive extensive advocacy training from members of Chambers who include part-time judges and barristers qualified as advocacy tutors for programmes run by the Inns of Court.

The training is designed to develop practical advocacy skills and prepare pupils for the demands of appearing in court during their second six and after tenancy.

Feedback and Support

Pupils receive regular and detailed feedback throughout the year.

Feedback comes not only from pupil supervisors but also from members for whom pupils undertake work. A member of Chambers is also designated as responsible for pupil welfare.

Gatehouse places particular emphasis on providing a supportive environment in which pupils can develop their skills, learn from mistakes and receive guidance throughout the year.

The Chambers has also been recognised for its approach to training and colleague support, including Legal Cheek's Best Chambers for Training award and its Best Chambers for Colleague Supportiveness 2025 award.

What Gatehouse Looks For

Gatehouse only offers pupillage to candidates whom Chambers considers to have a realistic prospect of becoming members. Candidates therefore need to demonstrate not only legal ability but also the qualities required to develop a successful practice at the Bar.

The recruitment criteria include:

Intellectual ability: The ability to understand and deal with complex legal and factual issues.

Analytical thinking: The ability to analyse cases and explain difficult issues clearly.

Oral and written advocacy: The ability to communicate persuasively and present arguments effectively.

Resilience and workload management: The ability to cope with pressure, manage competing demands and recover from setbacks.

Interpersonal skills: The ability to build effective relationships with clients, solicitors, colleagues and staff.

Business development: The potential to develop relationships with professional contacts and attract and retain work.

Teamwork: The ability to work effectively with solicitors, other barristers and Chambers staff.

Drive and determination: The motivation and ambition to build a successful practice.

Integrity and ethics: Professional judgment, honesty and an understanding of the responsibilities of a practising barrister.

Gatehouse also looks for personable candidates who can present themselves effectively to clients, whether at court, professional events or when delivering seminars. Junior members are expected to take an active role in developing their practices and participate in opportunities available within Chambers.

Equality and Diversity

Gatehouse places significant emphasis on equality, diversity and social mobility.

The Chambers' EDI programme includes dedicated taskforces covering race and religion, sex and gender, disability and neurodiversity, and social mobility. Gatehouse also participates in initiatives including the Pegasus Access Scheme, Bridging the Bar, 10,000 Black Interns and COMBAR mentoring.

Gatehouse is a Level 1 Disability Confident signatory and a signatory to the Charter for Employers Positive About Mental Health. The Chambers also maintains a reasonable adjustments policy.

The Chambers' recruitment approach emphasises that factors such as the university attended, race, age, gender and sexual orientation should not determine whether a candidate is considered for pupillage. Selection is instead based on the skills, qualities and potential required for a successful career at the Bar.

Work-Life Balance

Gatehouse places particular emphasis on maintaining a sustainable working environment during pupillage.

The Chambers states that, except in truly exceptional circumstances, pupils should not expect to be in Chambers before 8:30am or to leave after 6:00pm. This forms part of its wider approach to wellbeing and work-life balance.

Pupillage Award and Financial Support

Gatehouse currently publishes an award of £85,000 for pupils commencing in October 2027. This comprises a £70,000 pupillage award together with £15,000 of guaranteed earnings during the second six.

Up to £15,000 may be drawn down during the BPTC year. Gatehouse also covers the cost of compulsory training courses undertaken during pupillage.

Following tenancy, Gatehouse provides a financial safety net for new members. Current published terms provide for guaranteed earnings of £40,000 in the first year of practice and £50,000 in the second year, with the arrangement intended to provide financial security while junior barristers establish their practices. Gatehouse expects new members to earn substantially more than these guaranteed amounts.

The £85,000 figure is the current published package for the October 2027 intake and should therefore be checked against the final 2028 Gateway vacancy before being treated as the confirmed award for this intake.

Mini-Pupillage

Gatehouse normally offers up to 12 unassessed mini-pupillages each year, divided across four quarters.

The usual application deadlines are:

January to March: Apply by 1 November

April to June: Apply by 1 February

July to September: Apply by 1 May

October to December: Apply by 1 August

Mini-pupils shadow several barristers and may attend court and consider case papers. Gatehouse aims to match mini-pupils with barristers practising in areas in which they have expressed an interest.

Applications are assessed primarily on communication skills, genuine interest in one or more of Chambers' core practice areas and an understanding of the role and professional requirements of a barrister.

Gatehouse does not accept CVs or covering letters for its ordinary mini-pupillage application. Reasonable expenses of up to £50 per day incurred while attending a mini-pupillage are reimbursed.

Gatehouse also offers mini-pupillage opportunities through Bridging the Bar, including up to three places for candidates from underrepresented backgrounds. These placements can last three days and may be undertaken in person or virtually.

Application Process

Applications for Gatehouse pupillage are made through the Pupillage Gateway.

For the 2028 national pupillage cycle, applications open at 11:00am on 4 January 2027 and close at 11:59pm on 28 January 2027. Offers are scheduled for 7 May 2027 at 9:30am.

The precise Gatehouse application questions and recruitment stages for the 2028 intake should be checked when the vacancy is published. The most recent Gateway vacancy required candidates to answer a series of questions testing legal analysis, ethical judgment, persuasion, argument, resilience, performance under pressure and relationship-building.

For the 2027 intake, the questions included an analysis of the Supreme Court's decision in Hopcraft v Close Brothers Ltd [2025] UKSC 33, a question about acting against one's own interests to do the right thing, a persuasion example, an argument concerning digital identity cards, and questions concerning failure, working under pressure and building relationships. These questions should be treated as indicative only and not as confirmed questions for the 2028 application.

Tenancy and Building a Practice

Gatehouse recruits pupils who have a realistic prospect of becoming members of Chambers. The emphasis therefore extends beyond performance during pupillage to the qualities required to develop a sustainable practice as a barrister.

New members are expected to be self-starters who actively develop relationships with instructing solicitors, other members of the Bar and the judiciary. Junior barristers are also expected to participate in business development activities and contribute to the wider professional life of Chambers.

Gatehouse provides substantial junior work and expects new members to be busy from the beginning of practice. Junior barristers participate in the Chambers' J2J seminar series, designed to build relationships with trainee and newly qualified solicitors and develop future sources of work.

Application Deadline

The application deadline for Gatehouse Chambers Pupillage 2028 is:

28 January 2027 at 11:59pm

Applications open on 4 January 2027 at 11:00am through the Pupillage Gateway.

How to Apply

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

Applicants should demonstrate intellectual ability, analytical and advocacy skills, resilience, interpersonal ability, integrity and the potential to build a successful practice at the Bar. An informed interest in Gatehouse's practice areas and the nature of practice at the Chambers will also be important.