Page 6 - No.5_Pupillage_Brochure_2021

WHAT OUR FORMER PUPILS SAY

L O IS N O R R IS A N N I E T O W N L E Y

Prior to pupillage, I had worked in the personal injury I started second six during the Covid 19 pandemic My pupillage experience at No5 started and ended in I was always invited to chambers social events
sector for several years, and therefore I was eager and the first lockdown. I had the opportunity to tears; tears of happiness at being offered pupillage whether it was one of the many chambers’ Christmas
to join a set who were well established and widely shadow juniors prior to the lockdown starting and and equally happy tears at being offered tenancy! parties, informal trips to the pub (all pre covid!) or
respected in the field. I’ll never forget the pinch me before my first case, I rang a member of chambers A lot happened between these two points, but it was virtual group quizzes during the various lockdowns.
moment when I got the offer: I think my mum rang to talk through it all. My first trial was by Skype and an incredibly rewarding experience and I couldn’t I was really made to feel a valuable part of No5 right
everybody in her phone book. I realised that being on my (virtual) feet was not have asked for a better pupillage year. There were from the start.
as scary as I had envisaged, a few steep learning curves but
I had heard pupillage described Towards the end of my first six
as a yearlong interview, but because I had learnt so everyone at No5 was so warm I shadowed some of the junior
at No5 it never felt like that. much and because there was and welcoming and I always felt members of chambers which
Firstly, it is clear you are not always support on hand. Since as though everyone genuinely gave me a chance to see more
in competition with your co- becoming a tenant I have had wanted me to succeed which of the type of work I would
pupils. Secondly, the process the opportunity to build up my helped me to push through the be doing in my second six.
is transparent. My supervisor’s own practice and to junior for tougher moments. It was quite a relief to go from
work was reflective of her senior members of chambers in Pupillage is a demanding very complex matters that my
substantial experience and to a variety of fields. and rigorous year with lots of supervisor of 15 years call was
attempt to draft pleadings at I moved from a tiny town up worries about how you are working on to a claim about a
her level was nerve-wracking North for pupillage to live in getting on, whether you really burst water pipe and thinking
at the start. However, each time Birmingham. Prior to lockdown, are cut out to be a barrister and that I might be just about able
I did, we sat down afterwards, I had lunch every day with the whether you will be taken on at to do that sort of case! It was
she showed me her draft, she barrister I was shadowing, the end. Thankfully, the process also great to get to know the
re-assured me that my first I regularly spoke to the clerking at No5 is really transparent; juniors in chambers who had
week as a second six pupil team and I attended balls and I had regular reviews at 3 month been through pupillage recently
would not involve work at dinners and drinks. I also had a intervals where my supervisor and knew exactly how I was
this level, and my pleadings and nerves improved! brilliant relationship with my co-pupils in Chambers wrote a report against a set criteria and I met with the feeling. I was nervous at first about being on my feet
Every three months I would receive a report prior and on the Midland Circuit. During lockdown, of pupillage committee to discuss the report and how in my second six but I am so glad that my pupillage
to sitting down with the pupillage committee. It set course there have been zoom quizzes, but there I was finding pupillage. I was told what I needed to had a practicing second six. There is no substitute
out what work I had been doing, areas where I had have also been face times, zooms and virtual drinks. improve on at each of these reviews so that I had for taking on your own cases and getting in front of a
performed to a high standard and opportunities to For me, No5 provided the perfect platform to start my time to work on any issues before a decision on judge. It also meant that I started my first few weeks
improve. Of course, pupillage is rigorous, you have to career as a barrister. Whilst we may be the biggest tenancy was made, rather than those issues being of tenancy already 6 months ahead of most of my
work hard and you worry (about almost everything!) set in the country, the collegiate spirit of chambers brought up for the first time as a reason not to offer peers when it came to real court experience!
but the transparency and structure help immensely. made me feel a valued member of chambers from me tenancy.
I was able to shadow barristers of ranging seniority, the very start.
in a variety of fields.