Q&A

We assess candidates’ academic achievements using a points system in which a candidate needs to achieve at least 8 points to be considered for a mini-pupillage, calculated as set out below. (Once we have established that a candidate has the requisite points for academic achievement, we go on to consider the other competencies we are looking at at this stage – analytical ability, communication/advocacy, motivation and resilience/determination.) For academic achievement, we award points as follows: Undergraduate degree - 1st – 8 points Undergraduate degree 2:1 – 6 points Undergraduate degree 2:2 – 4 points Postgraduate degree 1st/Distinction – 2 points OR Undertaking postgraduate degree/completed postgraduate degree Pass/merit – 1 point Extenuating circumstances affecting academic performance – up to 2 points Evidence of exceptional academic ability – up to 2 points Points awarded on the basis of the RARE contextual recruitment system identifying exceptional potential – up to 3 points If you have done more than one undergraduate degree, we will look at the highest graded of these. Where you are working towards an undergraduate degree we will allocate marks on the basis of a predicted grade only where supporting evidence is provided, for example in the form of a mark transcript.

If you have done more than one postgraduate degree, we will look at the highest graded of these. We will allocate marks on the basis of a predicted grade only where supporting evidence is provided, for example in the form of a mark transcript – otherwise 1 mark will be awarded. We treat the BPTC as a vocational course rather than a postgraduate degree – including when there is an LLM component on the course – so no extra points are awarded for that. We treat the GDL, and accelerated law degrees, as a postgraduate degree. The same points awarded for UK degrees are awarded for their overseas equivalent.

Yes, this is quite possible; this could happen in a number of ways, such as 8 points for a 1st plus up to 2 points for a postgraduate degree; 8 points for a 1st plus up to 2 points for exceptional academic ability; 6 points for a 2:1 plus up to 2 points for exceptional academic ability; or 8 points for a first plus 3 Rare points. There are various other possible permutations as well.

We have introduced this system for the first time this year, so we don’t have any stats yet on breakdown by degree classification.

We do appreciate that people may be limited in what they can say because of confidentiality. In this situation it’s of course for the applicant to decide what they can properly say, and if necessary give a generalised description which does not breach confidentiality, or alternatively rely on another example. As we explain, we are not looking for a long list of examples, but for a particular example or examples which demonstrate your skill at advocacy.

As we explain above, we do take extenuating circumstances into account, and in those cases we ask that you provide as much information as possible about any adverse effect there has been on your final degree results, so that we can assess how to take it into account. We will add up to 2 points for extenuating circumstances, so if you think you would have obtained a higher degree class in the absence of those circumstances, please tell us, and explain your basis for saying that, in as much detail as possible.

It’s true that Blackstone does specialise in many areas of law, but we certainly don’t expect applicants to be familiar with all of them – more generally, we don’t give specific advice about how to answer the questions in the application form, as that will depend on each candidate’s strengths, but recommend that you focus your answers on demonstrating the competencies set out here. [LINK}

We can’t advise on how to approach that generally, as other Chambers may differ in their approaches. For us, the important question will be how candidates demonstrate the characteristics we are assessing on the application form (Please see our selection criteria document here https://www.blackstonechambers.com/documents/Selection_Criteria_37Sll0l.pdf). So, if you think you have, for example, demonstrated resilience or communications skills through one of your interests or hobbies, you may want to make that clear in your answers to the questions in the form.

No! As we’ve set out above, we don’t distinguish between universities and degree subjects – when we score the application forms, we treat all universities, and all degree subjects, equally in terms of points awarded. This is why we use the Gateway redaction scheme for redacting information about academic institutions. Of course we may become aware of the universities that applicants have attended, in the course of the application process, but we don’t give any preference to candidates from particular universities, or vice versa.

We ask students who have studied at international universities to indicate whether their degree classification is equivalent to a 1st, 2:1 or 2:2, and to explain their basis for saying that. Apart from that we treat them as equivalent to an undergraduate degree from a UK university – and as we explain in our guidance, we don’t treat any university or degree subject as superior to any other. (This is why we have the name of the university redacted on the application form.) We also use external sources of information about evaluation of international qualifications.

Many barristers at Blackstone do not have a first degree in law, and when we recruit pupils we’re looking for the same qualities in all applicants - exceptionally high academic ability, written and oral advocacy and communication skills, and with an interest in and aptitude for a successful career at Blackstone Chambers. We wouldn’t recommend that non law students apply for pupillage before they have started their postgraduate law studies, as it would be difficult for them to do the assessed mini-pupillage without any legal knowledge – and in practice none do.

However, if you do an assessed mini-pupillage while, say, you are on the GDL course, we will take into account the stage that you have reached in your legal studies when assessing your work.

We hope that the questions in the application form will give candidates an opportunity to demonstrate the criteria that we are assessing, so our advice to all applicants would be to ensure that you answer those questions as effectively as possible with those criteria in mind.

We don’t take the BPC into account when assessing academic ability as that is treated as a vocational course; so grades on the course, or a distinction, would not affect an applicant’s score for academic ability when their application is being considered.

We treat the BPC as a vocational course, even if there is an LLM component. This means that it is not treated as a postgraduate course, and a distinction in the BPC wouldn’t be taken into account when we are assessing academic achievement. So, in answer to one of the questions that we were asked at the webinar- would Blackstone consider an application from someone with a 2:2 at undergraduate level and distinction at BPC/LLM level? - the answer is that it would be unusual for an applicant to be offered mini-pupillage with those grades. However, as we set out in the guidance, where candidates are identified by the Rare Contextual Recruitment System as having significant potential we take that into account and award up to 3 extra points when assessing academic achievements. We also take into account extenuating circumstances affecting academic performance, and other evidence of exceptional academic ability.

There are many factors that people will want to take into account when deciding whether to do further postgraduate education, and if so what course, including of course the financial considerations.

We wouldn’t recommend any particular course over any other, as it depends so much on individual circumstances, interests and career aspirations. However, we can say that many of the barristers at Blackstone who did the BCL have substantial public law practices; equally, an LLM can be a very good foundation for commercial practice. And of course, many barristers at Blackstone did not do the BCL or an LLM – it is certainly not an essential step to become a barrister.

Yes, definitely! It’s by no means necessary to have the top first to get an assessed mini-pupillage (or to have done a BCL at all). As we explain above, the top 50 or so rated applications will be offered an assessed mini pupillage. The academic points will count towards that rating, but the other criteria we will be assessing will also be very important.

We take the LLM into account when we assess academic achievement. We don’t take into account legal work/volunteer experience in that assessment. However, that experience may well be relevant when we are assessing other competencies such as communication/advocacy, motivation, working with others, resilience and determination and working independently. One important thing to remember is that if you have that kind of experience, we want to hear how it is relevant in your answers to the questions on the application form – for instance in the question about motivation or the question about what demonstrates that you will be a good oral or written advocate.

In some cases we will treat it as a postgraduate degree, but this will depend on the precise details of the qualification, so please do give us as much information as possible.

A PhD in any subject is treated as a postgraduate degree, so one point is awarded for that. We don’t distinguish between PhDs in law and PhDs in non-law subjects. Also worth noting that we award points for only one postgraduate degree even where candidates have done more than one – and we take the highest scoring of those degrees. So if for example you have also obtained a distinction in an MA before doing a PhD, we would award two points.

Your application will certainly be considered! It is in no way a requirement to have any scholarships or awards to receive an offer of pupillage at Blackstone. We may in some cases award additional points for exceptional academic ability - evidence for that can include eg academic prizes, publications of exceptional note, high-level academic positions and, on occasion, scholarships. We would only award a point for scholarships if they were awarded on merit rather than means-based, and only if they were evidence of exceptional ability. We would not normally award extra points for college scholarships and prizes as these are not available at most universities

The Gateway application form will ask why you want to be a barrister at Blackstone Chambers, and ask you to refer to any work and other experience (legal and non-legal) that you think provides evidence of your motivation to join our chambers. We are interested in any experience (work, voluntary, or anything else relevant) that demonstrates that interest.

As we say in the guidance, we appreciate that not all candidates will have had the same opportunities to gain legal work experience (and we ask you to tell us if there any particular reasons why you have been unable to) and we are also interested in non-legal experience.

You might also want to tell us why you find commercial law interesting (perhaps by reference to particular cases), and how you have developed that interest, for example by choosing to study particular areas, or writing on them.

If one has not had a chance to do mooting or debating, what other experiences do you consider to be relevant to showing oral advocacy skills? We’re looking for evidence that demonstrates that you will be a good oral and written advocate. We’re not looking for a long list of experiences; our primary concern is not the amount of advocacy that you’ve done, but how what you’ve done demonstrate your skills – for example how you have put effective arguments, or achieved a particular outcome. Mooting and advocacy on the Bar Course may provide you with good examples of this. We also appreciate that not all candidates will have the same opportunities to do mooting or debating. We are interested in all kinds of oral advocacy – for example if you have had to put forward oral arguments on a particular issue at work or volunteering, or as a student, or teaching. And of course if you have done any volunteer advocacy, for example from a law clinic, we’re also very interested in hearing about that.

We value both very highly, and both written and oral advocacy are a vital part of work at Blackstone and the Bar generally. It’s worth noting that when looking at oral advocacy we are not just interested in mooting, debating etc, but in any examples of oral advocacy, for example in the context of work, voluntary work or other activities - so you may have more oral advocacy experience than you think!

Working as a clerk may give you some insight into the life of a barrister, and what it’s like to be in Chambers. We wouldn’t say it was more useful than any other type of work experience, because so much depends on the individual job, and what the individual hopes to get out of it. So if you would be interested in doing it, we’d say go ahead, but we don’t think it would give applicants any particular advantage during the recruitment process.

We would be just as interested to hear about older experience, and that would not be given any less weight simply because it is longer ago. Equally, it’s likely that as a solicitor you will have been involved in oral advocacy of some kind, and we will be interested to hear about that as well.

As there are so many factors involved in that decision, we wouldn’t make a blanket recommendation. We frequently offer pupillage to students who are on the GDL. We treat the GDL as a postgraduate degree, so will take into account a distinction in that.

We welcome them, and quite a few members of Chambers are on their second career. We don’t give preference to either route (career changers or those who are following a path straight to the Bar), but assess all applications on their own merits.

Except in exceptional circumstances, we require all applicants to apply through the Gateway, so that there is a consistent process for everyone.

We will not take up references until a candidate’s application has progressed through to offer of an assessed mini pupillage. References do not form part of the mini-pupillage assessment process and will only be considered by the Pupillage Committee if you are offered a final pupillage interview. We realise that it may be harder for some candidates than others to obtain academic references and we take that into account when considering references.

We don’t fund or reimburse students’ legal studies, but pupils may apply to draw down part of the pupillage award during their BPC year – at the moment, they may draw down up to £22,500.