Pupillage

South Square is a leading set of commercial law barristers based in Gray's Inn, London. The Chambers has a particularly strong reputation for insolvency and restructuring, banking and finance litigation, commercial litigation, company law and civil fraud.

Members act in complex and high-profile domestic and international disputes. The Chambers has a significant offshore practice, with members regularly appearing in jurisdictions including the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.

South Square's work is predominantly commercial and financial in nature. Its practice includes litigation involving banks and financial institutions, companies, shareholders, insolvency practitioners and other commercial clients.

The Pupillage

South Square recruits up to three high-calibre pupils each year.

The Chambers looks for candidates with a strong academic record and the potential to become outstanding commercial barristers. The minimum academic qualification is a 2:1 degree, although the Chambers considers applications from candidates with a broad range of backgrounds and experience.

Pupils may come directly from university, from a non-law academic background after completing a conversion course, or from an established career in another sector. Several members of South Square have followed non-traditional routes to the Bar.

The 12-month pupillage is designed to provide intensive training in commercial law and litigation. Pupils work closely with experienced barristers and gain exposure to the demanding legal and commercial problems encountered in South Square's practice.

Practice Areas

Insolvency and Restructuring

Insolvency and restructuring is at the centre of South Square's practice.

Members act in complex corporate and personal insolvency disputes, restructuring matters and cases involving insolvency practitioners, creditors, companies and shareholders. The work frequently involves urgent applications, substantial factual evidence and difficult questions of company and insolvency law.

South Square is recognised as a leading set in this area and has acted in many of the most significant restructuring and insolvency disputes of recent years.

Banking and Finance Litigation

The Chambers has a substantial banking and finance litigation practice.

Members act in disputes involving financial institutions, borrowers, investors and other participants in financial markets. The work can involve complex financial products, contractual disputes, security arrangements, regulatory issues and cross-border litigation.

Commercial Litigation and Arbitration

Members act in major commercial disputes in the High Court, Court of Appeal and other domestic and international forums.

The practice includes contractual disputes, business disputes, shareholder litigation and other complex commercial matters. Members also undertake arbitration and mediation work.

Company Law

South Square has extensive expertise in company law, including disputes concerning directors, shareholders, corporate transactions and the relationship between company law and insolvency.

Company law issues frequently arise alongside the Chambers' restructuring, commercial litigation and civil fraud practices.

Civil Fraud

Members act in substantial civil fraud and asset recovery disputes, often involving urgent injunctions, tracing and complex cross-border issues.

The Chambers' international and offshore connections make this an important part of its commercial litigation practice.

Offshore

South Square has a significant offshore practice. Members regularly appear in courts and tribunals in major international financial centres and offshore jurisdictions.

This can provide exposure to disputes involving multiple jurisdictions, international assets and complex questions of commercial and insolvency law.

Real Legal Work

Pupils are exposed to the type of work undertaken by practising members of Chambers.

The work can include legal research, drafting, preparation of pleadings, written advice and analysis of complex commercial and factual issues. Pupils also accompany supervisors to hearings and conferences and observe how significant cases are prepared and argued.

The nature of South Square's practice means that pupils can encounter difficult legal problems involving large volumes of evidence, technical financial issues and urgent procedural applications.

The Chambers' aim is to develop pupils into barristers capable of handling complex commercial disputes and providing clear, practical advice to clients and solicitors.

What South Square Looks For

South Square seeks candidates with the potential to become outstanding commercial barristers.

The Chambers places particular importance on:

Academic ability: A strong academic record and the intellectual ability to deal with difficult legal and commercial issues.

Analytical ability: The ability to understand complex material, identify the important issues and construct coherent arguments.

Commercial awareness: An understanding of the practical and commercial context in which legal disputes arise.

Written and oral communication: The ability to communicate complex ideas accurately, clearly and persuasively.

Judgment: The ability to identify appropriate solutions and distinguish important issues from less significant matters.

Motivation: A genuine commitment to a career at the Commercial Bar and a convincing reason for applying to South Square.

The minimum academic qualification is a 2:1 degree. The Chambers accepts applications from both law and non-law graduates and considers candidates from a broad range of academic and professional backgrounds.

Recruitment Process

Applications are made through the Pupillage Gateway.

For the October 2028 recruitment cycle, the national Gateway application window opens on 4 January 2027 at 11:00am and closes on 28 January 2027 at 11:59pm. No applications or amendments can be submitted after the closing time. Offers are scheduled to be made on 7 May 2027 at 9:30am.

South Square's latest Gateway recruitment process required candidates to answer Chambers-specific questions in addition to the standard Gateway application.

The questions used for the October 2027 recruitment cycle were:

Career goals: Candidates were asked to explain their career goals over the following five years and how pupillage and tenancy at South Square would help achieve them.

Additional experience and skills: Candidates were asked to identify additional experience or skills that they believed would assist them in their legal career.

Each answer was limited to 200 words. These questions relate to the previous recruitment cycle and should not be treated as confirmed questions for the October 2028 application.

Academic and Professional Background

South Square does not require candidates to have followed a conventional route to the Bar.

The Chambers recruits from a broad range of backgrounds, including recent graduates, candidates who have completed non-law degrees followed by the CPE/GDL, and people who have gained experience in another professional sector before pursuing a career as a barrister.

The minimum published academic requirement is a 2:1 degree.

Candidates should nevertheless be able to demonstrate the intellectual ability required for demanding commercial litigation. The Chambers' work frequently involves complex legal principles, substantial factual evidence and difficult commercial questions.

Pupillage Award

South Square's current pupillage information states that pupils receive an award of £80,000 per annum, reviewed annually.

The Chambers currently permits £20,000 of the pupillage award to be paid in advance to assist with living expenses during the Bar Training Course year.

However, South Square's most recent Pupillage Gateway vacancy for the October 2027 intake advertised a £90,000 pupillage award. This indicates that the Chambers' remuneration has been updated since the current website brochure was produced.

Accordingly, the remuneration for the October 2028 intake should be checked against the final Gateway vacancy before being described as confirmed. For eLawCareers, the safest current wording is "Award: to be confirmed for 2028; latest Gateway award £90,000."

Financial Support During the Bar Course

South Square allows part of the pupillage award to be drawn down before pupillage begins.

The current published figure is £20,000, available to assist with living expenses during the Bar Training Course year.

Candidates should also investigate scholarships and funding available through the Inns of Court and other sources when planning the financial cost of Bar training.

Life as a Junior Tenant

South Square provides substantial financial and professional support to new tenants.

The Chambers states that junior tenants can expect to earn materially more than the pupillage award during their first year of practice. As a broad guide, average income during the first 12 months of practice exceeds £150,000, rising to more than £250,000 in the second year and more than £300,000 in the third year, although these figures are averages rather than guarantees.

New tenants can also obtain an interest-free loan of up to £25,000 to assist with early cash-flow requirements. The loan is repayable over the first 24 months of tenancy.

Other benefits include subsidised travel and conference fees, no rental charge for the first 15 months of tenancy, no receipts charge for the first six months, subsidised professional association membership and assistance with financial planning and business development.

Professional Development

South Square provides training intended to prepare pupils for the transition into independent practice.

In addition to legal and advocacy training, the Chambers provides assistance with financial planning and business development. This recognises that becoming a successful commercial barrister involves developing not only legal and advocacy skills but also an understanding of practice management and professional relationships.

International Work

South Square has a substantial international dimension.

Members regularly appear in courts and tribunals outside England and Wales, particularly in the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.

This international work is closely connected to the Chambers' core commercial practice. Insolvency, banking, fraud and corporate disputes frequently involve assets, companies and parties in more than one jurisdiction.

Mini-Pupillage

South Square offers both funded and unfunded mini-pupillages.

Applications for mini-pupillage are made directly to Chambers rather than through the Pupillage Gateway. Applicants are asked to provide a CV and covering letter stating which mini-pupillage programme they are applying for.

Mini-pupillage provides an opportunity to gain an insight into the work undertaken by South Square and to experience life within a specialist commercial Chambers.

Mini-pupillage should be distinguished from the formal pupillage recruitment process. Completing a mini-pupillage does not replace the requirement to submit a pupillage application through the Pupillage Gateway.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

South Square places significant emphasis on equality, diversity and inclusion.

Its Pupillage Committee and Diversity and Inclusion Officers work with organisations including the Bar Council, COMBAR's Social Mobility programme, 10,000 Black Interns, the Black Talent Charter, the Women in Law Pledge, Bridging the Bar, Bringing [Dis]Ability to the Bar and Rare Recruitment.

The Chambers' approach also covers wellbeing and the fair allocation of work.

Why Apply to South Square?

South Square offers a highly specialised route into commercial litigation, particularly for candidates interested in insolvency, restructuring, banking and finance, company law and civil fraud.

The Chambers combines technically demanding domestic litigation with a substantial international and offshore practice. Pupils can therefore develop experience in complex commercial disputes while working alongside barristers who regularly appear in significant cases in England and Wales and overseas.

The financial package is also competitive, with the latest Gateway vacancy advertising a £90,000 award and the Chambers providing additional financial support and benefits for new tenants.

For candidates seeking a career at the Commercial Bar, South Square offers a focused training environment with a strong emphasis on intellectual ability, commercial judgment and high-level litigation.

Application Deadline

Applications for the October 2028 South Square pupillage are 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

South Square recruits up to three pupils each year. The Chambers' current website publishes an £80,000 award reviewed annually, while its latest October 2027 Gateway vacancy advertised a £90,000 award. The financial terms for October 2028 should therefore be confirmed when the 2028 Gateway vacancy is published.