Pupillage at 36 Group

The 36 Group comprises 4 specialist Practice Groups: 36 Crime, 36 Family, 36 Public and Human Rights and 36 Stone (International Trade and Shipping).

The total membership of The 36 Group is now over 150 barristers, including over 15 Silks and a significant number of arbitrators, authors and judicial appointees.  We are located in impressive offices in Gray’s Inn, London but our clients are nationwide, and our work extends to courts in the whole of England and Wales. We also have operations in Singapore and Cyprus and strong links with many other jurisdictions reflecting our international client base and outlook, and our work, which is increasingly international in nature.

Chambers has a history stretching back to the 1850s, with a common law background. Recognising the increased need for specialism at the bar, over the past 25 years, Chambers has moved steadily towards dedicated specialist Practice Groups. Within each Practice Group there are further areas of specialism and opportunities to develop niche areas of practice.

Each Practice Group has its own Head of Team, Practice Manager, strategy, business plan and ethos. Most practitioners are members of only one of the practice groups and specialise in that area alone, although there are opportunities to do work straddling more than one practice area, and there are special interest groups within Chambers which are common to a number of Practice Groups.

All pupillages offered by The 36 Group are specialist pupillages attached to one of the Practice Groups. Pupils are always recruited with a view to tenancy, and only in exceptional circumstances would a pupil not be invited to apply for tenancy at the conclusion of their pupillage.

Pupils will have at least two Pupil Supervisors from their core Practice Group and will have the opportunity to observe and undertake a range of work across the areas of specialism of their core Practice Group.

In addition, pupils will have the opportunity to spend up to 2 weeks in their first six months shadowing in another Practice Group of their choice.

Practice Managers for each Practice Group assist individual barristers with their practice development and will discuss with pupils their practice development interests and needs as second six approaches and on a continuing basis.

Our barristers and staff work as a team, and our barristers are offered a high level of support with running their self employed practices. Further, each Practice Group is supported by a well-funded marketing strategy tailored to its particular needs, including through the provision of regular high-level training for clients as a means of showcasing barristers’ skills.

The Head of Pupillage is Marisa Allman who can be contacted at mallman@36family.co.uk. Marisa does not mark applications or interview candidates. As such, any queries, concerns or requests for reasonable adjustments can be raised with her without impacting on a candidate’s application for pupillage.

General enquiries may also be sent to pupillage@36group.co.uk.

All pupillage vacancies at 36 Group are placed on the Pupillage Gateway, which is the annual online pupillage application system operated by the Bar Standards Board. All candidates are expected to apply through the Gateway, including those with a waiver.

The 36 Group looks for excellence in its pupils. Applications are welcomed from all highly talented candidates regardless of nationality, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, health, disability, neurodiversity or family / financial / other personal circumstances. It is important to us to increase access to, and diversity of, both the Bar generally and the 36 Group in particular. We strive to ensure that our processes are as fair and inclusive as possible.

Applications from overseas candidates are welcomed. All candidates will need to demonstrate their commitment to the Bar of England and Wales and to Chambers. Any offer of pupillage will be subject to the offeree having the right to work and to remain in England.

The Bar Council provides sponsorship for holders of an offer of pupillage or tenancy.  Information is provided at https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/becoming-a-barrister/pupil-barristers/immigration-support-for-pupil-barristers.html  

Candidates who need a visa to be able to live and work in the UK during or after pupillage are welcome to contact the Head of Pupillage to discuss their circumstances.

We aim to make our pupillage application process as rigorous and fair as possible, and to encourage the widest diversity of exceptional applicants. Pupils are selected according to our selection criteria. The selection criteria can be found here.

Full details of our pupillage application process, and of our policies and procedures are set out in our Pupillage Policy.

The 36 Group recruits for specialist pupillages attached to individual practice groups. Applicants may apply for pupillage in more than one practice area: applications in each practice area will be marked separately.

Pupillage awards are comprised of a core grant during the first six months and guaranteed earnings during the second six months. Pupils are paid in 12 equal monthly instalments throughout pupillage.

Pupils also have the option to draw down an advance on a portion of their core grant during the 12 months prior to commencing pupillage to assist with meeting financial commitments.

Given the high level of our pupillage awards, pupils are expected to meet travel expenses from their awards. Additional discretionary travel expenses can be applied for in unusual circumstances or where reasonable adjustments are required due to disability.

Chambers will take active steps to reduce the obstacles that disability presents in the application process. We offer a commitment to interviewing all candidates who have declared a disability when applying for pupillage within the meaning of the Equality Act 2010 provided they meet the minimum threshold for interview. This is subject to limits placed on total numbers of interviews each year.

Where reasonable adjustments are requested, required or implemented this plays no part in marking applications or deciding whether to offer a candidate an interview or a pupillage. Any applicant who wishes to discuss reasonable adjustments or any particular needs arising from a disability is invited to contact the Head of Pupillage, who is not involved in marking application forms or interviewing prospective pupils.

The ground floor of our premises is wheelchair accessible by prior arrangement and our toilet facilities are partially accessible. This is due to the age and structure of the building. Arrangements will be made for access to alternative toilet facilities in Gray’s Inn if chambers is not accessible to a particular visitor.

Applicants for pupillage are not expected to have completed mini-pupillage with us previously. See our separate mini-pupillage page here for details of mini-pupillage opportunities.

We are firmly committed to providing our pupils with the best possible pupillage experience and training. Pupil development and wellbeing are hugely important to us. Pupils will be nurtured and supported to reach their full potential throughout their pupillage and beyond. We pride ourselves on being a welcoming, sociable and supportive team of barristers and staff members and want all of our pupils to feel welcome in Chambers. Pupils will be supported not only by their Pupil Supervisors, but also the Head of Pupillage, their Practice Manager and Clerks, the Pupillage Officer for their Practice Group, a ‘Chambers Buddy’ and all members of the pupil’s Practice Group.