pupillage

Legal training

All criminal advocates, including QCs, will be subject to compulsory re-accreditation every five years, the Joint Advocacy Group (JAG) has confirmed.
JAG has published its analysis of responses to its proposals for the scheme, which is due to begin in July. Some respondents had argued against re-accreditation on the basis it was cumbersome and unnecessary.

Legal Education 

Solicitors and barristers are generating far too many graduate lawyers, according to the former Bar Chairman Nicholas Greene QC. 

Andrew Neish QC believes there is evidence to suggest that the Commercial Bar has a tendency to select applicants like themselves, an academic elite. 

In order to extend access to the Bar, COMBAR’s Equality and Diversity Committee have mooted a Wild Card Scheme. The aim is to unearth potentially outstanding and unusual applicants who would otherwise have no prospect of being selected for pupillage interviews 

Sandra Healy weighs up the pros and cons of junior barristers attending international law conferences.  

In October 2010, 45 English barristers attended the International Bar Association (IBA) Annual Conference in Vancouver. I was the most junior member of the delegation, which consisted of a mix of criminal, family, general civil and commercial practitioners. 

Barristers’ chambers should adopt formal, regulated mentoring schemes to encourage diversity, a Legal Services Board (“LSB”) report has recommended. 

ON 8 July 2010 the Bar Council launched a week-long programme of events aimed at promoting and enhancing better access to the profession. This included a day-long conference in Birmingham for sixth-formers interested in a career at the Bar and the fourth annual
Bar Placement Scheme, in conjunction with the Social Mobility Foundation. 

James Roebuck reports on the recent Birmingham Aimhigher Conference “How to get to the Bar”.  

On 12 July 2010 some 80 sixth form students from schools and colleges across the West Midlands region, Cheshire and the Wirral, attended a Bar Council-Aimhigher widening participation conference entitled “How to get to the Bar”, at St Philips Chambers in Birmingham. 

The Bar Standards Board (“BSB”) has published a new pupillage handbook, available on its website and in hard copy, writes Valerie Shrimplin. 

A steering group has been set up to address the recommendations in the Review of Pupillage Report 

Pupils can follow more than one path to the Bar, advises Melissa Coutino. Split pupillages enable pupils to spend time with an employer and in chambers. They can be an attractive option for all, she believes 

Pupils need to follow a single path” is a generalisation that both some self-employed and employed barristers may be culpable of making. This is not the case. Split pupillages, whereby a pupil spends time with an employer and  with chambers, can be an attractive option. They allow chambers and an employer to share their investment risk, regulatory burden and commitment to training, while benefiting from the work of a person who is keen, bright and eager to qualify.