When I arrived for the first day at 7BR with my co-pupils, I was immediately made to feel part of the team. The happy welcome had started much earlier, as we had already been invited to several chambers events and met with a ‘buddy’- a junior barrister who would be looking out for us throughout the pupillage year. I had visited other chambers on mini-pupillages and seen many perfectly pleasant professional environments. This was a level above. There was a strong, collegiate spirit, and I lost count of the members, of all seniority, who told me I could come to them at any time for support.
Pupillage at 7BR is divided into 3 sets of 4 months: civil, crime, and a specialism of your choice. My first supervisor was Craig Carr, who has a fascinating practice in clinical negligence and abuse. I had heard that barristers were somewhat peripatetic, and as if to prove it, within a day I was off to Doncaster for an inquest. From the very start, the work was as stimulating as I had hoped, and I was given excellent guidance and feedback throughout my four months with Craig.
At the end of January, I began my crime seat with Gareth Weetman. Gareth worked on two highly significant cases while I was his pupil: a multi-count retail fraud and a murder trial. Despite being very busy, Gareth made ample time to share his insights with me, discuss my work, and ensure that I was getting the most out of the criminal part of my pupillage. I started second six during this time and it wasn’t nearly as nerve-wracking as it should have been. Support from Gareth and many junior members meant I knew what would be required before going into a hearing. Because of this, I was able to enjoy getting on my feet, and appreciate it as the realisation of a longstanding ambition.
I chose employment law for my third four-month stint and was supervised by Jeffrey Jupp. By then, I was in court most days with my own cases, but I still had the opportunity to work for Jeffrey on high profile, cutting edge cases. Once again, I was given detailed reviews of my written work, and supported with any questions that arose in my own practice.
I am writing this two months into tenancy, and I feel inordinately lucky to be part of 7BR. It is a set that prides itself on excellence, but also on diversity, camaraderie, and openness. I would recommend it to anybody who wants a career at the Bar.
