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The topic of secondments has long been a subject of debate among those at the self-employed Bar. In my experience, investing quality time in a placement with a well-established and specialist in-house legal team can yield significant benefits, especially for those looking to develop a more specialist practice in a niche area of the law. When done properly, undertaking a placement or going on secondment is an invaluable investment in one’s future development and career progression.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) offers secondments for solicitors and placements for self-employed barristers. When I made the decision to apply for a six-month placement with the ICO, I’d been in practice for just over three years and had developed a strong interest in information law, having advised on several data protection and privacy matters through Advocate, the Bar’s pro bono charity. Work had started coming in for me through chambers, and I was regularly being instructed to represent both claimants and defendants in compensation claims, as well as to advise on more complex points of law relating to requests for erasure and rectification, in addition to serious data breaches. I naturally developed an appetite for more complex work, so I knew that the next step was to create opportunities for myself which would enable me to learn from other specialists in the field. I decided to apply for the ICO placement after seeing it advertised on LinkedIn and was delighted when the offer came through.
I was placed with the Commissioner’s Legal Services Team and my role was akin to that of in-house counsel. I was fortunate enough to experience a wide range of work across the litigation and enforcement teams. I assisted on a variety of tasks, from advising on potential judicial review challenges, to drafting the Commissioner’s responses in proceedings in the Information Tribunal, drafting enforcement notices, and representing the Commissioner in court proceedings. I was able to tap into the collective knowledge and experience of my colleagues and engage in stimulating debate on the hottest topics in the world of data protection.
Looking back on my time at the ICO, I can say with certainty that I have vastly expanded my knowledge in data protection law. Prior to commencing my placement, I’d had limited practical experience in enforcement work, but I am now able to draw from my experience at the ICO when advising clients. The knowledge and experience I gained from my time on placement feeds perfectly into my practice, as I am able to provide specialist legal advice with confidence.
The barrister profession can be quite lonely, and some of us don’t have the opportunity to work in a team very often, at least not in the way that solicitors do. In practice, I rarely receive feedback from clients or judges and this is something that I have found quite challenging as a junior barrister in chambers. While at the ICO, I received regular feedback on my work from colleagues, as the set-up in organisations such as the ICO enables and encourages this. This was surprisingly refreshing and extremely beneficial for my development as counsel, as access to support and feedback from experienced colleagues is crucial to the development of all junior barristers.
Finally, being surrounded by experts in the field was a humbling experience for me. I think quite a few of us at the Bar would benefit from being humbled once in a while – I highly recommend it! I returned to full-time practice in early 2025, and I am excited to see what the future holds for me. While undertaking a placement or going on secondment might not be for everyone, in my case it was definitely the right decision and I could not recommend it enough.
Before coming to the Bar, Mariya worked as a research fellow at Queen Mary University and a judicial assistant at the Court of Appeal and High Court. At 3PB, her particular focus is on commercial and regulatory law in matters raising complex contractual interpretation points, as well as a range of data protection and privacy issues. In 2024, Mariya was nominated for Junior Pro Bono Barrister of the Year at the Bar Pro Bono Awards
The topic of secondments has long been a subject of debate among those at the self-employed Bar. In my experience, investing quality time in a placement with a well-established and specialist in-house legal team can yield significant benefits, especially for those looking to develop a more specialist practice in a niche area of the law. When done properly, undertaking a placement or going on secondment is an invaluable investment in one’s future development and career progression.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) offers secondments for solicitors and placements for self-employed barristers. When I made the decision to apply for a six-month placement with the ICO, I’d been in practice for just over three years and had developed a strong interest in information law, having advised on several data protection and privacy matters through Advocate, the Bar’s pro bono charity. Work had started coming in for me through chambers, and I was regularly being instructed to represent both claimants and defendants in compensation claims, as well as to advise on more complex points of law relating to requests for erasure and rectification, in addition to serious data breaches. I naturally developed an appetite for more complex work, so I knew that the next step was to create opportunities for myself which would enable me to learn from other specialists in the field. I decided to apply for the ICO placement after seeing it advertised on LinkedIn and was delighted when the offer came through.
I was placed with the Commissioner’s Legal Services Team and my role was akin to that of in-house counsel. I was fortunate enough to experience a wide range of work across the litigation and enforcement teams. I assisted on a variety of tasks, from advising on potential judicial review challenges, to drafting the Commissioner’s responses in proceedings in the Information Tribunal, drafting enforcement notices, and representing the Commissioner in court proceedings. I was able to tap into the collective knowledge and experience of my colleagues and engage in stimulating debate on the hottest topics in the world of data protection.
Looking back on my time at the ICO, I can say with certainty that I have vastly expanded my knowledge in data protection law. Prior to commencing my placement, I’d had limited practical experience in enforcement work, but I am now able to draw from my experience at the ICO when advising clients. The knowledge and experience I gained from my time on placement feeds perfectly into my practice, as I am able to provide specialist legal advice with confidence.
The barrister profession can be quite lonely, and some of us don’t have the opportunity to work in a team very often, at least not in the way that solicitors do. In practice, I rarely receive feedback from clients or judges and this is something that I have found quite challenging as a junior barrister in chambers. While at the ICO, I received regular feedback on my work from colleagues, as the set-up in organisations such as the ICO enables and encourages this. This was surprisingly refreshing and extremely beneficial for my development as counsel, as access to support and feedback from experienced colleagues is crucial to the development of all junior barristers.
Finally, being surrounded by experts in the field was a humbling experience for me. I think quite a few of us at the Bar would benefit from being humbled once in a while – I highly recommend it! I returned to full-time practice in early 2025, and I am excited to see what the future holds for me. While undertaking a placement or going on secondment might not be for everyone, in my case it was definitely the right decision and I could not recommend it enough.
Chair of the Bar sets out a busy calendar for the rest of the year
AlphaBiolabs has announced its latest Giving Back donation to RAY Ceredigion, a grassroots West Wales charity that provides play, learning and community opportunities for families across Ceredigion County
Rachel Davenport, Co-founder and Director at AlphaBiolabs, outlines why barristers, solicitors, judges, social workers and local authorities across the UK trust AlphaBiolabs for court-admissible testing
A £500 donation from AlphaBiolabs is helping to support women and children affected by domestic abuse, thanks to the company’s unique charity initiative that empowers legal professionals to give back to community causes
Casey Randall of AlphaBiolabs discusses the benefits of Non-Invasive Prenatal Paternity testing for the Family Court
Philip N Bristow explains how to unlock your aged debt to fund your tax in one easy step
Come in with your eyes open, but don’t let fear cloud the prospect. A view from practice by John Dove
Timothy James Dutton CBE KC was known across the profession as an outstanding advocate, a dedicated public servant and a man of the utmost integrity. He was also a loyal and loving friend to many of us
Lana Murphy and Francesca Perera started their careers at the Crown Prosecution Service before joining chambers. They discuss why they made the move and the practicalities of setting up self-employed practice as qualified juniors
As threats and attacks against lawyers continue to rise, a new international treaty offers a much-needed safeguard. Sarah Kavanagh reports on the landmark convention defending the independence of lawyers and rule of law
Author: Charlotte Proudman Reviewer: Stephanie Hayward
