One thing that I tried to focus on in my years leading up to the BPTC was gaining relevant experience. It's not always clear why you need it, what type of experience is good and how to even get it, so that's what this post is all about.
WHY?
Gaining relevant legal experience is key for a number of reasons:
1) It demonstrates to employers that you are taking active steps to educate yourself on what a career at the bar will look like.
If an employer was to look at your CV or application and see that you had no experience at all it gives the impression that you're not that bothered about the career.
2) It helps you to identify whether this is the career for you.
There are many different types of legal experience you can get involved in (we will come on to that in a second), but they might not all be of interest to you. So taking steps to experience different parts of the profession will help you identify what it is you might want to do.
3) It's a platform to learn more about the law.
There is almost no better way to learn about legal procedures, rules and cases than getting involved in legal work experience. You will be able to watch and see how different legal principles are applied and how courts consider various matters. (I will never forget the "Polkey point" in Employment Law after shadowing a barrister who spent a good 30 minutes arguing for it in an unfair dismissal case!)
WHAT?
This is a non-exhaustive list of the types of legal experience, specially bar experience, that might be available to you.
Mini-Pupillage: often 3 days-5 days spent shadowing (following around) members of a barristers chambers. The great thing about a mini-pupillage is that chambers will usually ask you what areas of law you are interested in, so that you can tailor your experience to those particular areas of law. They are also great for getting a wider perspective of the life of a barrister, you'll often see client conferences, pre-court preparations, robing room discussions and court hearings/trials.
Marshalling: this is usually 2-5 days spent shadowing a judge. In most cases you will be able to sit with the judge behind the bench in a court room and witness everything. Not only is it fascinating to see what a judge does for the day, but it offers a great chance to watch court room advocacy from the judge's perspective and pick up on do's and dont's.
Arranging court visits: this is the easiest of them all! Just organising to go and sit in a court for the morning, afternoon or day to witness what happens. This can be in the Magistrates Court, Crown Court, County Court etc.. There are some cases which public aren't allowed to to sit in, such as family proceedings and other cases which involve sensitive subjects.
Advocacy Competitions: either arranged by your university/course provider or by a barrister's chambers. These can take all shapes and sizes, ranging from small 'plea in mitigation' exercises to a full Supreme Court mock moot! I know they seem scary, trust me, I avoided mooting for as long as I could because the word just scared me. However, they are a great way to build upon your oral communication skills and gain feedback from people in the legal profession.
Law Clinic Work: this may be the hardest to obtain (we will come to that). Taking on a legal advisor role in a law clinic or pro bono clinic is an amazing opportunity. It provides you with the opportunity to take on client's from the public, research around their legal issues and provide practical advice. Roles within a law clinic are usually for either the academic year or on a rolling basis i.e. you keep working for them until you decide to leave (p.s it's voluntary you don't get paid). Work experience like this is key for demonstrating people skills, effective communication and a dedication to a career at the bar!
HOW?
This is often where people get stuck, they dont know how to find these opportunities. So let's go through them.
Mini-Pupillage: Apply through chambers websites. Some will have a designated application form and some will ask for a CV and covering letter, so make sure to brush up on those! If there is nothing obvious on the website, don't be afraid to send an email to the email address under their 'contact' tab.
Marshalling: Email the court which you'd like to marshal in, or if you have a judge on LinkedIn (or any other platform) then you could reach out to ask if they offer marshalling. The court clerks will usually enquire around and arrange something for you if you ask nicely. OR...if you are already a student member of an Inn of Court, the Inn's often offer marshalling opportunities so look on their website!
Court Visits: Again you can email the court directly and explain that you are interested in a career at the bar and would appreciate any opportunity to come and sit in on some hearings for the day. Alternatively, you can just rock up and speak to an usher in the court and ask if there is anything you can see. (It is probably better to email in advance if you can get a hold of someone)
Advocacy Competitions: Just apply! Whether it is through your university or a barrister's chambers, just fill out the application form and put yourself forward! If you are not sure if your university has any competitions, the best place to look is the law society's social media pages, or contact the committee directly.
Law Clinic Work: Like I said this can be the hardest to get as spaces are not usually easy to get. Either, a) your university will have a law clinic you can apply to work in or b) you can look at the local area to see if there are any clinics operating locally.
EXTRAS
The experiences and opportunities that I have discussed are the ones I feel are key for developing the necessary skills of a barrister. However, they are so many opportunities out there, so make sure to check out your law school's events, local networking opportunities and anything else you can get your hands on.
It is also really important to make sure you make the most of each of the experiences you get. So make sure to take notes and reflect on what you learnt!
The key to getting experience is just to go full speed ahead and get stuck in! It's a little scary for some people, especially when you're 2ft away from a judge, but trust me it is so worth it. As soon as I started immersing myself in legal experience I fell even more in love with the idea and practicalities of a career at the bar, so hopefully you will too!!
Thanks for reading,
Monica x