The Council of the Inns of Court (COIC) welcomes applications for matched funding for 2019-20 and 2020-21 pupillages.

The COIC Pupillage Matched Funding Scheme (PMF) helps provide additional pupillages in chambers, and other approved training organisations, predominantly engaged in legally aided work. Encouragingly, a growing number of chambers are applying for COIC match funded grants. COIC match funded 47 pupillages in 2017 and is set to support 45 pupillages in 2018. This is an impressive improvement on the scheme’s first year of operation in 2014, when it supported 14 pupillages.

How the scheme works

It is a prerequisite of the scheme that chambers understand that match funded pupillages are in addition to those they would have offered in any event. COIC matches pupillage funding already provided by chambers with a total grant of £6,000 to fund the first six months of a second pupillage. Chambers are now also able to elect to receive an increased level of funding of £7,000, provided that all pupils in chambers receive an income of at least £14,000 for the year; a figure closer to the national living wage.

How to apply

Applications to match fund 2019-20 and 2020-21 pupillages are invited between 3 September and 22 October 2018. Decisions will be communicated during the week commencing 5 November. Online applications can be made at www.coic.org.uk/pupillage-matched-funding. To find out more, please email Hayley Dawes, COIC Secretary: hdawes@coic.org.uk

Nathalie Lieven QC is Chair of the COIC Pupillage Matched Funding Grants Committee.