Pupillage

Outer Temple Chambers offers pupillage to candidates seeking a career at the Bar within a leading civil and commercial chambers with a broad range of specialist practices. Chambers has more than 90 barristers and a global practice extending across the UK and internationally.

The Pupillage

Pupils work with four different pupil supervisors during the pupillage year. Chambers aims to tailor the seats to the areas in which a pupil has expressed particular interest, while also providing the opportunity to gain experience across a broad range of Chambers' specialisms.

During the Second Six, pupils undertake their own cases as well as assisting their pupil supervisors with their work. This gives pupils practical experience of dealing with clients and opponents and developing their own advocacy practice.

Pupil supervisors provide regular feedback throughout the year and report on each pupil's overall performance, including written work, advocacy and the ability to deal with their own clients and opponents.

Areas of Practice

Outer Temple Chambers has a wide-ranging practice covering health, business and international law. Its areas of expertise include:

Employment and discrimination
Personal injury
Clinical negligence
Commercial litigation
Business crime
Financial services
Insolvency and restructuring
Court of Protection
Healthcare
Public law
Professional negligence
Pensions
Education
Regulatory law
Information law
Data protection and privacy
Sanctions and export controls
Sports law and regulation
Travel and international injury
Trusts, probate and estates
International arbitration
Energy and natural resources
Group litigation
Inquests and inquiries

The breadth of Chambers' practice allows members to develop either a broad practice or a more focused specialism. The overlap between different areas of expertise also provides opportunities to work on complex matters involving multiple areas of law.

Candidate Requirements

Outer Temple Chambers looks for candidates who demonstrate:

Intellectual ability
Potential as an advocate
Motivation, drive and commitment
Professional compatibility with Chambers

A 2:1 first degree or above is preferred. Chambers does not require the first degree to be in law and considers candidates who have completed a non-law degree followed by a GDL or equivalent legal conversion course.

The selection process focuses on identifying candidates with the potential to develop into successful barristers and contribute positively to Chambers' practice and culture.

Training and Support

Outer Temple has a collaborative and collegiate approach to pupillage. Chambers describes its environment as open, friendly and approachable, while maintaining high professional standards.

A mentoring scheme is available to pupils, barristers and staff. Chambers also places emphasis on wellbeing and recognises the particular pressures associated with a career at the Bar and the pupillage year.

Pupils are encouraged to support one another rather than compete against each other for tenancy. Tenancy decisions are made on merit.

Pupillage Award

The published pupillage prospectus states that the award for pupillages commencing in September 2025 was £80,000 for the 12 months.

At Chambers' discretion, up to 25% of the award could be drawn down early during the Bar course year.

Applicants should check the current vacancy information for the award applicable to the relevant pupillage intake.

Tenancy

Outer Temple places significant emphasis on developing and retaining pupils. Chambers states that its high pupillage-to-tenancy conversion figure reflects this commitment.

Tenancy decisions are made on merit rather than through competition between pupils. Junior tenants also benefit from a guaranteed earnings scheme for their first two years, provided through an interest-free loan arrangement designed to top up earnings to an agreed level.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Outer Temple positively encourages applications from groups currently underrepresented at the Bar, including women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds and people with disabilities.

Chambers accepts applications through the Disability Confident Scheme and the upReach scheme.

About Outer Temple Chambers

Outer Temple Chambers is a leading civil and commercial chambers with offices in London and Dubai and a global client base. Chambers provides advocacy, advisory and drafting services across a wide range of specialist areas and has more than 90 barristers alongside professional associates and door tenants around the world.

Chambers has a strong focus on complex litigation, cross-border work and specialist advisory matters and is recognised in leading legal directories across a number of practice areas.

Application

Candidates should apply through the recruitment route specified by Outer Temple Chambers for the relevant pupillage intake.

The Chambers' pupillage recruitment page should be checked for the current application deadline, intake year and Pupillage Gateway timetable before applying.