Serjeants’ Inn Chambers is a modern common law set based in London, specialising in complex litigation involving medical law, police law, professional discipline, regulatory law, employment, public and administrative law, Court of Protection matters and specialist crime.
Its work frequently involves important legal, ethical and social issues. Members act in cases concerning the relationship between individuals and public bodies, including litigation involving healthcare, policing, professional regulation and the exercise of public power.
The Chambers regularly acts in significant litigation and test cases and has been involved in major public inquiries and inquests, including the Manchester Arena Attack Inquiry, Infected Blood Inquiry, Covid-19 Inquiry, Undercover Policing Inquiry and a number of high-profile medical treatment and police law cases.
The Pupillage
Serjeants’ Inn offers up to two 12-month pupillages, commencing in October every other year. The next recruitment round is therefore for pupils commencing in October 2028. Places are offered to candidates who meet the Chambers' selection criteria.
The Chambers looks for candidates who demonstrate practical and academic ability, personality, aptitude, commitment and flexibility. The recruitment process is designed to identify candidates with the potential to develop into effective barristers rather than applicants who are already a finished product.
Pupils are given exposure to a broad range of Chambers' work and are encouraged to work with members other than their immediate supervisor. This allows pupils to experience different areas of practice, advocacy styles and approaches to legal problems.
Structure of Pupillage
The pupillage is divided into two six-month periods, commonly known as the first six and second six.
The first four months are spent with the first pupil supervisor. During this period the pupil is non-practising and concentrates on learning the fundamentals of practice, including legal research, drafting, conferences and advocacy.
After four months, the pupil changes supervisor. The second six begins two months later. During the practising period, the pupil continues to work with a supervisor while also developing their own practice.
After eight months, the pupil changes supervisor again. This structure gives pupils exposure to three different supervisors during the year and allows them to experience different areas of Chambers' practice.
Pupils are expected to work generally from around 9:00am to 6:30pm, Monday to Friday, subject to arrangements with their supervisor and the demands of particular cases.
First Six
The first six is designed to provide a broad grounding in the work of a common law barrister.
Pupils initially work closely with their supervisor but gradually undertake work for other members of Chambers. They accompany barristers to court and conferences and develop experience in legal research, drafting pleadings, preparing advice and dealing with complex factual material.
The Chambers encourages pupils to keep an open mind about areas of practice. Experience in one area can provide skills and knowledge that are useful across other parts of the set's work.
The aim is to ensure that pupils develop a broad understanding of practice rather than becoming narrowly focused on a single specialism.
Second Six
The second six marks the transition towards independent practice.
Pupils continue to receive supervision but also begin to undertake their own cases and court appearances. They work directly with solicitors and Chambers' clerks and begin developing the professional relationships required of a practising barrister.
This can involve conducting hearings, preparing advice and pleadings, attending conferences and managing their own cases under appropriate supervision.
The transition is intended to give pupils meaningful practical experience while ensuring that they continue to receive support during the early stages of advocacy and independent work.
Practice Areas
Serjeants’ Inn has a broad common law practice, with particular strengths in areas where public and private law overlap.
Medical Law and Clinical Negligence
The Chambers acts in complex medical law and clinical negligence matters, including disputes involving medical treatment, healthcare decisions, patient rights and professional liability.
Members have acted in significant medical treatment cases involving questions of life-sustaining treatment, capacity, best interests and medical ethics.
Court of Protection
The Court of Protection practice covers disputes concerning individuals who may lack capacity, including medical and welfare decisions.
The work can involve highly sensitive issues and requires barristers to combine detailed legal analysis with an understanding of the human circumstances surrounding a case.
Police Law
Serjeants’ Inn has a substantial police law practice covering civil claims, human rights, judicial review, inquests, inquiries, misconduct proceedings and operational policing matters.
The work can involve complex questions concerning the exercise of public power and the rights of individuals.
Public and Administrative Law
Members act in judicial review and other public law proceedings involving government departments, public authorities and individuals.
The Chambers regularly handles cases raising significant constitutional, human rights and administrative law issues.
Professional Discipline and Regulatory
The Chambers advises and represents professionals and regulators in disciplinary and regulatory proceedings. This includes matters involving professional standards, misconduct, fitness to practise and regulatory decision-making.
Employment
The employment practice covers disputes involving employers and employees, including complex issues where employment law overlaps with public law, discrimination and professional regulation.
Business and Specialist Crime
Serjeants’ Inn also undertakes serious and specialist criminal work, including cases involving complex legal and factual issues.
Inquests, Inquiries and Investigations
Members regularly appear in major inquests, public inquiries and investigations. These matters can involve extensive evidence, multiple parties and significant public interest.
What Serjeants’ Inn Looks For
Serjeants’ Inn assesses candidates on a combination of academic and practical ability, personality, aptitude, commitment and flexibility.
The Chambers is looking for candidates who can demonstrate the intellectual ability required for demanding legal work while also showing the interpersonal and practical qualities needed to deal effectively with clients, solicitors, opponents and other professionals.
Important qualities include:
Analytical ability: The ability to understand complex information, identify legal issues and reach sound conclusions.
Intellectual ability: Strong academic and legal reasoning skills.
Communication: The ability to express arguments and advice clearly and persuasively.
Interpersonal skills: The ability to build effective professional relationships and deal appropriately with clients and colleagues.
Integrity: A high standard of professional conduct and judgment.
Motivation and resilience: The commitment and determination required to develop a demanding practice at the Bar.
Commitment to Chambers: A genuine interest in the work undertaken by Serjeants’ Inn and the areas in which its members practise.
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 to be made on 7 May 2027 at 9:30am. No applications or amendments can be submitted after the closing deadline.
Serjeants’ Inn's previous Gateway application included the standard Bar Council questionnaire together with five Chambers-specific questions.
The questions asked candidates:
Why they wished to become a barrister and which experiences or skills would assist their career.
Why they believed they would make a good barrister.
What additional experiences or skills they had gained that could assist their career.
Which areas of practice interested them and why.
Why they had chosen Serjeants’ Inn.
The previous questions were limited to 250 words each. These questions relate to the 2027 recruitment cycle and should not be treated as confirmed questions for the 2028 application.
Academic and Practical Ability
Serjeants’ Inn does not seek candidates with one particular academic or professional background. The Chambers' selection criteria expressly include both practical and academic ability.
The important consideration is whether the candidate demonstrates the ability, judgment and aptitude to develop into an effective barrister.
The breadth of the Chambers' practice also means that applicants do not need to have already specialised in medical, police or public law. What matters is the ability to learn quickly, analyse unfamiliar problems and apply legal principles to complex factual situations.
Pupillage Award
The latest published financial terms provide an award of £70,000, comprising:
£40,000 payable during the first six months of pupillage; and
£30,000 in guaranteed earnings during the second six months.
The guaranteed second-six earnings relate to fees billed. Pupils are entitled to retain earnings above the guaranteed amount.
Up to £10,000 may be drawn down before pupillage begins by way of a loan to assist with tuition fees and similar costs.
These are the latest published financial terms and relate to pupils commencing in October 2026. Serjeants’ Inn has not yet published a separate 2028 award on its current pupillage page, so the £70,000 figure should not be presented as guaranteed remuneration for the October 2028 intake until the new vacancy is published.
Feedback and Mentoring
Pupils receive informal feedback throughout pupillage and meet with the Head of Pupillage approximately every three months to discuss progress and any concerns.
The Chambers also operates a mentoring system, with a mentor providing confidential pastoral support where appropriate.
The intention is that pupils should have a clear understanding of their progress throughout the year rather than waiting until the end of pupillage to discover whether there are areas requiring improvement.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Serjeants’ Inn recruits on merit and encourages applications from all sections of the community.
The Chambers supports equality and diversity at the Bar and is prepared to make reasonable adjustments for candidates with disabilities.
It also uses RARE contextual recruitment, allowing academic achievement to be considered in the context of a candidate's socioeconomic background. Serjeants’ Inn also participates in Inner Temple's Pegasus Access and Support Scheme.
Mini-Pupillage
Serjeants’ Inn offers three-day mini-pupillages.
Mini-pupils are given the opportunity to experience different aspects of Chambers' work. Depending on the work available during the placement, this can include attending court, sitting in on client conferences, reading papers, assisting with drafting and observing how barristers conduct their practice.
Mini-pupillages are not formally assessed, although mini-pupils may be asked to complete a piece of written work during the placement.
Serjeants’ Inn does not accept mini-pupillage applications directly through Chambers. Applications are made through Inner Temple's Pegasus Access and Support Scheme.
The Chambers provides assistance with travel expenses and other costs associated with undertaking a mini-pupillage. Additional financial assistance may be available where the absence of funding would otherwise create a significant barrier to accepting a place.
Working at Serjeants’ Inn
Serjeants’ Inn describes itself as a progressive, sophisticated and friendly set.
The Chambers has grown substantially in recent years and now has a large silk team and a broad membership across its specialist areas. It places considerable emphasis on client service, professional development and wellbeing.
The Chambers has also received recognition for its approach to wellbeing and maintains initiatives designed to support members and staff throughout their careers.
Why Apply to Serjeants’ Inn?
Serjeants’ Inn offers a distinctive route into common law practice for candidates interested in cases where legal issues have significant practical and human consequences.
Its work combines medical law, public law, police law, professional regulation, employment and specialist crime. Many cases involve difficult questions of law alongside complex factual and ethical issues.
The structure of pupillage also provides early practical experience. Pupils move from observing and assisting experienced barristers to undertaking their own cases and advocacy during the second six, while continuing to receive supervision and mentoring.
For candidates interested in intellectually demanding litigation with a strong human and public dimension, Serjeants’ Inn provides a broad and varied training environment.
Application Deadline
Applications for the October 2028 Serjeants’ Inn Chambers pupillage will be made through the Pupillage Gateway.
Applications open: 4 January 2027 at 11:00am
Application deadline: 28 January 2027 at 11:59pm
Offers: 7 May 2027 at 9:30am
Serjeants’ Inn currently offers up to two pupillages every other year, and its next recruitment round will open in January 2027 for pupils commencing in October 2028.
- Locations
- London, England, United Kingdom