Mini-pupillage

Mini-pupillage at Serle Court is designed to be an enjoyable and useful experience for individuals who have completed, at least, the first year of a law degree or one term of the GDL. 

Our mini-pupils attend an Open Day, which takes the following format:

• Breakfast in Chambers, meeting some barristers, our Head of People and EDI and at least one of the practice managers
• The morning will be spent shadowing a barrister in their regular working day
• Lunch with members of Chambers
• An advocacy demonstration from members of Chambers
• A closing talk from the Chair of our Pupillage Committee or other senior member

Mini-pupillages are not formally assessed, and are not a requirement for an application for pupillage, though prospective pupils are of course welcome to apply. 

We offer around 30 mini-pupillages via two application rounds (in autumn and spring) each year. Please note that we receive many more applications than we can accommodate.

The autumn round opens on 1 May and closes on 31 August in any year. You should apply in this round only if you intend to apply for pupillage in the Gateway window that opens the following January. In other words, the autumn round that will open on 1 May 2025 and close on 31 August 2025 is for applications via the Gateway in early 2026 for pupillages commencing in Chambers in October 2027. Successful candidates will receive invitations to Open Days in December 2025 and January 2026, before the 2026 Gateway opens. 

The spring round opens on 1 November in any year and closes on the last day of February the following year.   You should apply in the spring round if you intend to apply for pupillage through the Gateway two years hence (targeting a pupillage three years hence).

We will reimburse the reasonable travel costs of mini-pupils. We will also consider covering accommodation costs for those who would need to travel more than 2 hours each way and could not otherwise afford to come to London. Please state in your application whether you are seeking accommodation costs.

The application should be made electronically here when the window opens on the first of May.

We will reimburse your reasonable travel costs, and will consider covering one night's accommodation costs for those who need to travel more than 2 hours each way and could not otherwise afford to come to London. Please state in your application whether you are seeking accommodation costs. Lincoln's Inn offer a 'Mini-Pupillage Grant Scheme' which gives financial assistance to students who have secured a mini-pupillage but need additional funds to complete it. More details including all of the application criteria and application form can be found here. 

Reserved mini-pupillages

Three additional mini-pupillages are made available in the autumn round for applicants from groups that are underrepresented at the bar. Recipients of reserved mini-pupillages will be guaranteed a first-round interview in the recruitment cycle immediately following their mini-pupillage offer.

Successful applicants will attend Chambers individually for a whole day at a convenient time between November and January. They will shadow one of our members for the whole day, and meet other members over lunch. Our Head of People and EDI will also spend time with you to discuss the application process ahead, and is happy to review your CV.

You are eligible to apply for a reserved mini-pupillage if the majority of your secondary (post 11) education was not at a fee-paying school and:

• You are black, or of mixed black heritage; or
• Neither of your parents went to university; or
• You are currently in receipt of state benefits other than child benefit, or the income in your household for at least 3 years of your secondary education came from or was materially supplemented by state benefits other than child benefit; or
• You are currently classified as having no recourse to public funds, or your household for at least 3 years of your secondary education was classified as having no recourse to public funds (with ‘no recourse to public funds’ bearing the meaning set out in s.115 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999); or
• You were ever eligible for free school meals; or
• You have been in care; or
• You have caring responsibilities or had caring responsibilities at any time during your secondary education or while you were at university; or
• You have refugee status.

You must indicate on the application form that your application is for a reserved mini-pupillage. The application process is in all other respects the same. You will be considered for an unreserved mini-pupillage even if you do not secure a reserved mini-pupillage. You may apply for a reserved mini-pupillage even if you have previously applied for an unreserved mini-pupillage.

If you need further assistance, do call us or email pupillage@serlecourt.co.uk.

Resources

Click here to read our 'Top 10 Pupillage Application Tips'.