Corey Boothe is a pupil barrister at St Paul’s Chambers practising in crime and civil law. In 2021 he successfully obtained a placement under the 10,000 Black Interns scheme. He recounts his experience of the Bar’s first paid internship and how it shaped his career.
In this blog, I share insights from the North Eastern Circuit’s first internship at the Bar: the application process, what makes a successful application, and my experience throughout the internship.
Whether you are considering the Bar course, currently studying on it, or (like I was) in the hunt for pupillage post-qualification and in purgatory, if you’re eligible for the 10,000 Black Interns (‘10KBI’) scheme, applying is simply a must.
This piece is not a one-size-fits-all guide to securing pupillage (for more comprehensive direction, I highly recommend Pupillage and How to Get It), but I hope it can demonstrate how transformative the scheme can be in navigating the most difficult period in one’s journey to the Bar.
The stats: the Pupillage Gateway Report 2024 and its findings
- 671 pupillages were advertised on the Pupillage Gateway in the 2023/24 round — up slightly from 638 the year before
- 3,408 candidates submitted applications (a 14% increase on 2022/23)
- Just 261 offers were recorded through the Gateway — meaning the baseline chance of success was about 1 in 13 (7.7%)
- In practice, the number of pupils starting each year at the Bar remains steady, with 544 pupillages registered in 2023 (similar to 538 in 2022)
In summary, it makes for difficult reading: more pupillages, even more applicants, and fewer offers through the Gateway.
The 10KBI application process
Round one: written advocacy
Applicants apply via the 10KBI website and make no mistake, the competition is fierce. In 2023, over 500 applications were submitted for 29 placements at the Bar. The first round consisted of a written application which was measured against a fixed set of criteria, including written advocacy, problem solving, and people skills.
Example: Should the right to protest trump lockdown restrictions? (300 words max)
Tip: Structure, conciseness and simplicity are key. In practice, written advocacy is often your first opportunity to persuade and, if done correctly, can produce your desired outcome without you uttering a word. I saw this in pupillage when a barrister’s “unnecessary” summary led a judge to simultaneously open and conclude with: “I’ve read your helpful note. The order you seek, I make”.
Round two: oral advocacy
The shortlist was whittled down to 56 candidates in 2023 for the second round: a 5-minute recorded presentation on a topic of your choosing. In 2023 (the question will be altered for this year), one option was:
Are there any situations in which a barrister should be subject to criticism for representing any particular individual or company in criminal or civil proceedings?
Tip: Slow down. Don’t read from a script (they can tell). If you’re recording on a laptop, raise the device so that the camera meets your eye level. You will present as a more natural and confident candidate.
Only the highest-scoring candidates are selected for the scheme following the second round. If you’re part of the fortunate cohort, congratulations but do not rest on your laurels; you must make the most of the opportunity you’re about to start. Whilst strong grades and mini-pupillages are essential, what sets successful candidates apart in pupillage season is a wealth of experience, people skills and presentation. The 10KBI scheme ticks all those boxes and more.
The 10KBI experience
I spent 6 weeks on the North Eastern Circuit across four sets of chambers and the Crown Prosecution Service (‘CPS’).
Legal skills
I observed barristers in a wide range of cases and areas of law. One unforgettable day involved witnessing King’s Counsel cross-examining a firearms officer about a farmhouse shooting. The case had it all; suspense, drama and intensity. Beyond the standout moments in Court, it was the sheer number of varied experiences that I could then use to strengthen my future pupillage applications. Through drafting, research, opinion writing, and assessed advocacy exercises, I had a large and diverse pool of examples to draw from.
Tip: If you’re recycling the same experience too often in applications, it’s a sign your CV needs more substance. If you’re struggling to think/recall examples, one technique I utilised was diarising my relevant actions at work shortly after they occurred and structuring the entry in the format of a pupillage interview answer (questions can be found on the gateway).
Networking, presentation and people skills
Outside of court, the aspects of the internship that set it apart from my previous experience were the conversations and professional working relationships I was able to build in a more relaxed environment. This included:
- Coffee breaks with junior barristers sharing pupillage tips
- Dinners with barristers who might sit on recruitment panels
- Meetings with clerks about practice development
- Discussions about advocacy in judges' chambers (often relating to what they didn’t like)
These interactions transformed my experience and developed my understanding of how obtaining pupillage really works. In short, if you can capitalise on this feature of the internship, your application will become exponentially stronger.
The golden ticket
How do I know it works? Three years on, I’m about to complete pupillage at a set I interned at in 2022. A career at the Bar is not for the faint-hearted. The education is extortionate, pupillage is rare, and the competition is ruthless. Nevertheless, schemes like 10KBI might build and refine the skills, network, and experiences that you need to open the door.
My final remarks? Apply now.