Pupils may have the opportunity to spend some time visiting the institutions and/or courts in Brussels, Luxembourg or Strasbourg. Chambers funds the travel expenses for each pupil to attend one hearing in the European Courts during their pupillage year if an appropriate opportunity arises. 

As well as being an important period of training, pupillage is inevitably also a period of assessment and we strive very hard to ensure that our assessment process is rigorously fair and objective. To that end, the Tenancy Committee seeks to collect as much information on each of our pupils from as wide a range of members of chambers as possible against the assessment criteria.

Each pupil supervisor provides a detailed report on all of a pupil’s work during the time the pupil is sitting with them, and every other member of chambers for whom pupils complete a piece of work provides a report on that particular piece (as well as providing detailed feedback to the pupil in person).

The Tenancy Committee arranges a number of advocacy exercises (typically 6-7) throughout the year, involving the making or defending of applications of the kind that junior tenants might expect to encounter in their first few years of practice, such as applications for summary judgment or security for costs. The first two exercises are not assessed, to enable pupils to ‘find their feet’ as advocates and to receive feedback from the panel.  After that, the exercises are assessed, although the training element remains very important.

In addition to the advocacy exercises and their work for their pupil supervisors and other members of chambers, all pupils complete the same six pieces of standardised assessed work. These are set by six different members of chambers and span the various specialisms within chambers. All standardised work is assessed ‘blind’ by the member of chambers who set it and, again, detailed feedback is then given to the pupils.

Pupillage is inevitably demanding but we do our best to make it as enjoyable and interesting an experience as possible. It is made clear to all pupils that it is quality and not quantity of work that counts. Pupils are not in general expected to work late into the evenings or during weekends, although the nature of practice is such that there will be periods when longer hours are necessary.

Pupils are welcomed into the social life of chambers. Shortly after pupillage offers are made, those who accept are invited to meet members of chambers, which may be by a reception or dinner. During pupillage, pupils will often have lunch with their pupil supervisors and other members of chambers, and are welcome at chambers' social events. There is usually a dinner or other gathering for pupils and junior tenants every term.

Above all, though, we believe that it is the high quality of work and training at Brick Court Chambers that contributes most to our pupils' satisfaction. As one pupil said to an interviewer from Chambers & Partners, "it was the easiest money I've ever earned because every day was just so interesting."