I received an email over the weekend from Simon Myerson QC, for those of you who have not yet had a chance to look at his excellent blog on obtaining pupillage I suggest you do so without further ado.
Simon asked me for permission to reproduce my document that details the steps involved in becoming a practising barrister without having to undertake a formal pupillage.
If there is anyone who is seriously considering this and are at the stage where they have enrolled on the QLTT then please drop me a mail, as I am considering setting up a private forum in order that we can help and offer support to one another during the process.
Simon asked me for permission to reproduce my document that details the steps involved in becoming a practising barrister without having to undertake a formal pupillage.
If there is anyone who is seriously considering this and are at the stage where they have enrolled on the QLTT then please drop me a mail, as I am considering setting up a private forum in order that we can help and offer support to one another during the process.
10 comments:
I have read your earlier post on your secret weapon and the post just put up by Simon Myerson. It is not clear that you have made any pupillage applications to date. An earlier post said that you hadn't bothered to apply through OLPAS.
It occurs to me that your plan of action is a bit premature. Surely getting a one year pupillage is preferable to sitting more exams to cross qualify, to then spend 2 years as a trainee, to then have to search for a tenancy.
Added to which it is my understanding that solicitors firms are just as discerning in their search for trainees as chambers are in their search for pupils.
Moreover, you will no doubt have to explain to any proapective employers why you have taken the bar course, not applied for pupillage, and are now looking to qualify as a solicitor. Are you planning to tell firms that you intend to practice as a solicitor?
... Wow, Archbold, have you got to rain on EVERYONE's parade each and every time you post a comment on their blogs???
Archbold,
If you had taken the time to read my post, which it is clear you have not you would have discovered that:
1. You are not applying for a training contract, you have to gain 24 months Paralegal experience.
2. This experience can be gained with short term temp work, of which there is plenty of, I even gave a website for a starting point.
3. The simple fact is that most people don't get pupillage in a year or even two years it takes considerably longer.
4. From the tone of your posting it is clear that you possess a skill that all recruiters would look for in a candidate, the ability to comment on document without fully reading and digesting it. I can only assume that attention to detail is not something that is important to you.
Although it pays to be realistic about the hunt for pupillage, I really hope you're not losing heart too soon! It can be a tortuous process, but I'd advise anyone who really wants pupillage to be tenacious and make at least a couple of years' worth of applications before considering the QLTT. Mind you, I recognise it's difficult when there is rent/a mortgage to pay and a family to support. Good luck!
Thanks legalbeagle, I am very positive but I have to consider any alternative that will get me to my destination. I have a young daughter and a mortgage the size of the GDP of a small country.
I wonder how many able would-be barristers fall by the wayside because of the cost of qualifying. I have given your blog an long-overdue link from mine.
barrister 2 b
thank you for your reply. in response i would make the following points:
1. nowhere in the document to which you refer does it say "paralegal experience". it states that there is a "two year experience requirement imposed on all applicants under the OLT Regs". you and i both know that the conventional method of getting this two years experience is by obtaining a training contract.
2. The document does state that this requirement (detailed in (1) above) MAY be reduced / waived when an applicant can demonstrate thay have obtained relevant legal experience during the past 5 years - note the word "MAY".
3. I know.
4. charming.
I note that you have deleted the comments you had made in response to other people who have commented on "pupillage and how to get it". I, like those people, was simply trying to point out that whilst you have obviously stumbled upon a way of getting around the pupillage requirement (which everyone knows is very difficult to obtain), that it is not necessarily an easy option, not least because it raises all sorts of other obstacles which you must then navigate.
It is unfortunate that you have seen fit to be quite so aggressive in your response (to me and others), no doubt encouraged by the rather strange comment left by law minx immediately beforehand. Nevertheless, I wish you luck in your endeavours. Archbold
If I offended anyone then I apologise, I have had written confirmation from the law society and have spent considerable time researching the matter, it just appears that people were all to willing to comment without first fully reading up. Again please accept my apologies if I offended anyone.
Archbold,
On your point 1,
The QLTT and training contract are different. The training contract is a differnt beast altogether and need to be dealt with as such.
On Your point 2,
This relates to prior legal experience not related to the two years that I mention. I.E if you are already working in a legal environment prior do doing the QLTT, this is not the case in relation to my document.
As you can see the regulations are complicated, which is why i spent the best part of a month researching them.
Cheers.
Would it not have been more sensible to spend the best part of a month improving your chances of gaining pupillage instead?
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