Weekly Newsletter #14

Here’s what to expect this week…

Let’s get into it 👇

📍 Work experience, insight days & legal placement opportunities

⚖️ Paralegal & Entry Level Roles

My response: Everyone's interview style is slightly different, but here are a few things I see from successful candidates.

💬 They sound like themselves. Over-rehearsed answers are harder to connect with as an interviewer. Let some of your personality come through and find a way to connect with the interviewer, even if it's as simple as agreeing how warm the weather has been this summer!

🗣️ They can talk about the role, not just recite it. Anyone can memorise a firm's practice areas from the website. What lands is showing you understand why those practice areas matter right now and connecting that back to something genuine in your own interests or experiences.

🎯 Their answers have a shape. Structure is important. A clear, concise answer using something like STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) will always beat a rambling one, even if the rambling one technically covers more ground. As someone who tends to ramble when nervous, this doesn't come naturally to me, so it took plenty of practice!

📝 Ask for and work on previous feedback. It sounds simple but we don't do it enough. If you're rejected, email back and ask what would've made the difference. Interviewers notice candidates who've clearly taken feedback on board from a previous stage or process. Practice answering questions with family and friends.

🤝 They ask questions that show they've been listening. Even better if you can save a question for later in the interview that references something the interviewer said earlier. It signals genuine engagement, not just a rehearsed list.

😌 They're calm about not knowing something. Difficult commercial awareness questions and technical curveballs aren't always about having the right answer. Interviewers want to see how you think under pressure, not whether you've memorised the news.

Honestly, they're looking for someone coachable, who is genuinely curious about the work and who can slot into their team.

And finally it’s ok to be nervous - it shows you care!

I actually became interested in the criminal justice system before I knew I wanted to pursue a career at the bar or a legal career at all. I was always fascinated by true crime and police documentaries and I found myself interested in how the criminal justice system worked so I decided on a law degree.

When I started studying law at university, it wasn't until I took a module called communication skills for lawyers that my lecturer suggested I should seriously consider a career at the bar. That was the first time I really looked into what being a barrister involved.

The more I looked into what being a barrister entailed, I realised it suited my personality and strengths. I am a confident public speaker and enjoy advocacy. I also wanted a career where no two days are the same. The idea of sitting behind a desk every day never appealed to me. So doing a job where I would be thinking on my feet and advocating before magistrates really appealed to me.

My interest in the criminal bar developed naturally through my interest in the criminal justice system and through my academic studies at university. I especially enjoyed the criminal law and criminology modules, which confirmed this was the area of law I found most engaging.

To also make sure it was the right career for me, I went to my local crown court to observe a trial for the first time. It happened to be a murder trial with around nine barristers in court and a full public gallery. Experiencing the atmosphere and seeing first hand the advocacy from the barristers confirmed this was the career I wanted.

2. I understand you recently did a mini-pupillage at 187 Chambers. Could you tell us what you got up to day-to-day?

My mini-pupillage lasted four days at Southwark Crown Court, where I observed a prosecution barrister in a serious criminal trial. On the first day he gave me an overview of the case, introduced me to the officer in the case, and I observed legal submissions and jury selection.

Over the next two days, I watched the opening speech and the prosecution evidence, including cross-examination. What surprised me most was how accessible the advocacy was.

During a court break, I also accompanied the barrister to meet a witness in the CPS offices. I watched him explain the court process and provide reassurance.

On my final day I observed the partial conclusion of the trial, including the prosecution closing speech, before the barrister moved on to a sentencing hearing in the afternoon, which he encouraged me to attend.

One aspect that I loved was how supportive the barrister was. He regularly asked for my thoughts on the case and took time to explain his decisions. He also had me organise the jury bundles most mornings, which made my mini-pupillage more interactive than simply observing.

3. I know mini-pupillages are difficult to secure. Do you have any top tips for others looking to apply this year?

It took me three years to secure my first mini-pupillage. I always found the application forms or cover letters unnecessarily hard. I didn't know what to write. Eventually I must have done something right as, as of today, I've been offered three mini-pupillages. Here are my top tips:

✨ Double-check the chambers' name. Don't send a cover letter or email with the wrong chambers' name on it (I did this once... unsurprisingly, I never heard back).

✨ Don't let rejections put you off. I've had plenty of rejections and rejections by silence. Mini-pupillages are incredibly competitive, so don't take it personally.

✨ Apply widely. Mass applying worked best for me. It takes time because every application should be tailored to those chambers, but it gives you a much better chance of success.

✨ Keep track of application dates. Some chambers open applications almost a year in advance. I use a table on Excel to keep track.

✨ For application forms, use bullet points where appropriate. It makes your answers clearer and easier to read.

✨ For cover letters, keep a simple structure: why you want to be a barrister and that area of law, why you'd make a good barrister (using your experiences), why you've chosen that chambers, and a short paragraph about what you're currently doing.

✨ Don't worry if your experience isn't legal. Working in a pub, shop, or any customer-facing role gives you loads of transferable skills.

✨ The 'Why this chambers?' question. It's my least favourite. Don't overthink it. Show you've done your research by mentioning a recent case, a member whose work interests you, seeing one of their barristers in court, or explaining why the chambers' practice areas appeal to you. It doesn't need to be an essay.

✨ Proofread!

4. What was your favourite moment from the mini-pupillage?

Honestly all of it! But I’d say the opportunity to speak to others in the court and when the barrister asked for my thoughts on the strengths of the case. It was a genuinely useful exercise in thinking like an advocate, and a surreal moment to contribute to a live case.

Libby’s piece this week reminded me of one of my own application dramas: I once put the name of a different law firm on my vacation scheme application and I still got the vac scheme (eek)!

I got away with it in the initial process, but let me tell you, there is nothing more mortifying than having to explain that mistake to a Partner who did spot the mistake in an interview setting.

Don't be like me. Proofread your applications, especially the firm, chambers company name, before you hit submit.

That’s all for now. See you next week!

^{The careers advice shared in this newsletter is intended as general guidance and should not be treated as formal legal or recruitment advice. I do my best to keep all opportunities and deadlines accurate and up-to-date at the time of writing, but always double-check the employer’s website before applying.}