"Chambers is an immensely kind place to be. It's also very sociable and fun. Members of Chambers work together regularly on lots of cases but also beyond work there is all sorts going on. Today's a Wednesday, there will be run group, Chambers tea, netball; plenty of time to enjoy with your colleagues."
“Chambers is an immensely kind place to be. It is also very sociable and fun.”
'The best thing about being a barrister in Chambers'
“ Everyone is always there to support you. ”
Pupillage Year Overview
Pupil Supervision
'The most important thing about Pupillage'
“ Pupil supervisors want their pupils to succeed. ”
Pupillage at Blackstone Chambers is very much a practical, hands-on experience. From your first day with your supervisor you will get stuck into whatever cases your supervisor is instructed on at that moment.
The typical work involves doing first drafts of the documents which your pupil supervisor is working on. You will therefore develop a wide experience of drafting pleadings and other court documents, writing skeleton arguments and compiling written advices. You may also be asked to do a first draft of questions to be used in a cross examination, or to prepare opening or closing submissions.
You will also be involved in every step of the advisory and litigation process. Pupils attend conferences with clients, listen in on phone conversations where appropriate, and are encouraged to discuss the strategic, procedural and ethical elements of cases with their supervisors.
The emphasis which we place on the close working relationship between pupil and supervisor means that pupils do not do any additional work for other members of Chambers. You will be able to focus entirely on the cases which you are involved in on a day-to-day basis.
'The typical day of a Blackstone pupil'
“ Pupils at Blackstone...start off effectively doing the work that someone who is perhaps ten years into the job is doing. ”
Hi, my name is Hugo Murphy and I joined Blackstone as a pupil in September 2023, and I joined as a tenant a year later in September 2024.
The pupils get involved in Chambers life enormously from day one. I started the year mostly on public law and human rights claims, but since then I’ve seen all sorts of cases from heavy fraud disputes to competition disputes, discrimination claims, whistleblowing, and I’ve also done a lot of work on some big sports regulatory matters. You’re not treated as a probationary outsider, you’re fully integrated.
“The pupils get involved in Chambers life enormously from day one.”
