JHKC

Exciting day today at the first Pupillage Fair North. Fun to let students know about my forthcoming book with @viewfromthenorth.bsky.social from Routledge.

Getting ready to welcome everyone at Pupillage Fair North

A good day today at the Bar Council pupillage fair. The future is bright.

The Northern and North Eastern Circuit as hosting Pupillage Fair: North on 30th November. Come and learn about a career up North!

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Starting pupillage soon? Check out my tips for pupilllage

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Good morning from the Bar Council meeting and AGM in London. We'll be sharing live updates here using #BarCouncil The meeting will start at 10am and the AGM - chaired by the Attorney General - will start at 11am.

Oh the glamour of being Circuit Leader. Off to London for the morning. This is way too early for a Saturday.

Finally you also get a refresh. Seeing the pupil’s enthusiasm and appetite for the job is a tonic.

Make the most of it. 4/4

In addition you pick up other skills. We do not work together as barristers quite a lot of them time. Suddenly you are a unit. And you have to garner the skills involved in that. 3/4

You learn so much by supervising a pupil if you do it properly.

Firstly it is a good method of “reflective” practice. You look at what you do, how you do it and why you do it. It improves you as a barrister. 2/4

Tip 14 - enjoy it.

Yeah, okay, I have banged on quite a bit about it being hard work but having my three pupils has been the highlight of my career.

And although you should put a lot into it, you get a lot out of it. 1/4

If someone complains that your pupil was not at their desk at 7am, you can say “that’s because I have told them to be there for 9.”

And always be prepared to defend your pupil. 3/3

If there is a way you want something doing, be clear and precise.

By setting the ground rules you are only being fair to the pupil. Also be prepared to defend the pupil on the basis of the clear understanding between the two of you. 2/3

Tip 13 - set the rules.

If you have expectations of your pupil, make sure they know them.

For example, if you expect your pupil to be in chambers to and from certain times - tell them.

If you want a piece of work done by a certain day, tell them expressly. 1/3

Also find out about the policies in chambers. Things like how expenses are reimbursed, grievance are dealt with etc.

I told you it involved a fair bit of work…. 3/3

(and don’t start thinking about it the week before the end of second six…)

Also make yourself aware of the regulations that apply to pupillage. You will need to know how what the rules are for absences, holidays, absences etc. 2/3

Tip 12 - read the rules.

Make yourself fully aware of all the regulatory requirements for you both.

You need to know what courses are compulsory. You need to know how ethics are assessed.

Make yourself familiar with the regs for the issue of the practising certificate 1/3

If you are not prepared to put this work in, do not accept the privilege of having a pupil.

And hopefully your pupil will turn to you throughout their career for advice. 6/6

This bit is hard work. Sometimes you end up reading their papers from start to finish. You may take a phone call before court. In the middle of court.

But these hard yards are the most important. You are supervising a trainee. Your experience is the safeguard. 5/6

I am afraid that means you need to be speaking to them about what they have in their diary. You need to be helping them prepare. Checking their work.

You also need to act as a bit of a filter to make sure that they are not being asked to do things beyond their ability. 4/6

You should still set them exercises. You should still train.

But it is now so much more than that…

You need to know about the work they are doing for real. You are supervising that work (and if good practice doesn’t make you, then don’t forget they are on your insurance). 3/6

All the sort of things you would have done in the first six, apply to the second six months. You are still teaching and training, not just keeping an eye on them.

The days they are not in court should be engaged in being trained in the same way as the first six. 2/6

Tip 11 - a pupil is not just for Christmas (or even just the first six).

If you have a pupil for the entire 12 months, the second six is not the time for you to sit back and relax. If you take a pupil only for the second six, you do not have the easy half. 1/6

It really is tricky.

Be kind. Be compassionate. Be understanding. Be accommodating. Be nice. Be helpful. Be welcoming. Be inspiring. Be polite.

But friendship can wait.

Keep in mind that teacher/pupil relationship.

They are, after all, your pupil.

3/3

…the pupil/pupil supervisor relationship is an odd one. You are not their boss, but you are. You are their teacher but also someone with another job. You are not their friend but the closest person to them in these circumstances. You are assessing their work.

2/3

Tip 10 - don’t be that nice.

All three of my former pupils are great great friends now. The important word there is “now”. I am incredibly fond of my pupil master (as he was then) and enjoy a pint with him in his retirement.

But….

Give them constructive feedback. When looking at a piece of written work, give them positive feedback. Tell them the bits that they did well. Tell them where they are going wrong and WHY. 3/3

Teach by example. Teach by explanation. Teach by discussion. Teach by doing. Teach by feedback.

Set your pupil advocacy exercises which you make them get up on their feet and do for you. As they grow in confidence, involve other members of chambers. 2/3

Tip 9 - teach the skills.

Slightly repeating myself here but repetition has a pedagogical use (I learnt a new word).

Do not just think that watching you do the job is enough, it isn’t.

Teaching also involves more than just red pen on that advice. 1/3