A mini-pupillage is an opportunity to gain legal work experience and find out what a career at the Bar is like for a Five Paper barrister – shadowing both junior and senior barristers for a few days.

Five Paper’s mini-pupillage

A mini-pupillage will help you decide whether a career at the Bar is for you by exposing you to the type of work that a barrister will typically carry out.

What is a mini-pupillage?

Mini-pupillage will usually include attending court, observing a conference with the barrister and client, looking through case papers in chambers and discussing the case with the barrister.

At Five Paper, mini-pupillages are not assessed and are not a requirement for pupillage applicants.

Who should apply?

We support diversity and equal opportunities and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. The type of people we are looking for are those who can demonstrate that they are interested in becoming a barrister and practising in England & Wales, and have some potential to succeed. Applicants are encouraged to include exam grades, recent academic and non-academic achievements, and other life experiences and skills demonstrating aptitude for the Bar. Those without a solid academic background are encouraged to explain any poor results and demonstrate success in other areas.

Mini-pupillage applicants must be 18 years or older and must be at least in or about to enter their penultimate year of a law degree or ultimate year of a non-law degree (first year law students may apply after they have received their exam results). We also welcome applications from post-graduates, including CPE/GDL and BPTC students.

How should you apply?

Please send an up-to-date CV with a short covering note in the body of the email setting out your reasons for wanting to experience a mini-pupillage. You should include a selection of dates when you will be available to attend in the season for which you are applying, in order of preference. Please email your application to Morwenna Macro at minipupillage@fivepaper.com and include the season in the subject heading.

What about funding?

Mini-pupillages at Five Paper are not funded, however in exceptional circumstances we may be able to help with travel and other expenses (for further information please see our policy). It may be more economical for you to purchase a week-long London travelcard rather than buying daily tickets.

How long do they last?

Mini-pupillages normally last for a 2-3 day period within a given week.

When are they offered?

We have two mini-pupillage seasons per year.

Applications for Spring/Summer 2024 (March to July) will open on 1 December 2023 and close on 31 January 2024.

Applications for Autumn/Winter 2024 will open on 1 June 2024 and close on 31 July 2024.

What happens next?

Successful applicants will be contacted with an offer of mini-pupillage and an information sheet. There are no interviews.

Unless told otherwise, mini-pupils should attend our offices on the first day at 9am, wearing a dark suit and sensible footwear.

If there’s anything else you’d like to know, please contact Morwenna Macro.

If your query is urgent or you have a question immediately before or during a mini-pupillage, please telephone our clerks on 020 7815 3200.

Mini-Pupil Information, Confidentiality & Data
Work Experience Information Sheet
Mini-Pupillage and Work Experience Policy

Mini-pupillage will usually include attending court, observing a conference with the barrister and client, looking through case papers in chambers and discussing the case with the barrister.

“An invaluable and thoroughly enjoyable experience into the day-to-day life of a barrister in the heart of London. Five Paper made me feel welcome from the second I stepped foot into Chambers until the moment I said goodbye. Chambers provides excellent advocates to shadow, a wide variety of work to oversee and the opportunity to ask all those burning questions about pupillage and practice. If you aspire to be a barrister and you want to learn what it is like to practice at the London Bar, Five Paper is the place to do it.”