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Pupillage Recruitment

Chambers’ area of practice is dynamic and challenging. Most of our cases
are contractual disputes, but principles of tort, restitution, mistake and misrepresentation frequently arise. The cases are intellectually challenging and the complexity of the disputes requires thorough analytical skills. Cases involving members of Keating Chambers are regularly featured in The Lawyer’s “Top 20 Cases of the Year”, including in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2024. We emphasise that no specialist or technical knowledge of construction or engineering is required or assumed: no questions are asked about this at any stage of our recruitment process and it forms no part of selection for pupillage.

Applications for pupillage at Keating Chambers are managed through the Pupillage Portal. To support future applicants, we have created a comprehensive guide on the pupillage assessment process and selection criteria.

Pupillage Experience

We offer up to two 12-month pupillages each year, with an award of £85,000. Pupils are allocated four supervisors in the course of their 12 month pupillage. This ensures that each pupil is exposed to a variety of work with varying levels of complexity within Chambers, and it broadens their experience with different working styles.

Keating Chambers is committed to providing all of its pupils with comprehensive training in the core skills required for practice in our field. In recognition of the strength of our training and support for pupils and junior members, we were awarded “Chambers of the Year” by Legal Cheek in 2024.

Five of our junior tenants have provided written accounts of their experience of pupillage and the beginning of their careers as barristers at Keating, which can be found here along with other video and podcast resources to give you an insight into pupillage and tenancy at Keating Chambers.

Mini-Pupillage

Mini-pupillage in Keating Chambers is not a pre-requisite to an application for a pupillage. We believe that a mini-pupillage is a good way to familiarise yourself with us and our work, and recognise the importance it plays in the decisions you take about the direction of your career. We therefore offer approximately 50 unassessed mini-pupillages each year to high calibre applicants, likely to be strong candidates for pupillage in Chambers. Please note, we only accept applications for mini pupillages from candidates who are in the final year of a law degree, or are undertaking the GDL. Usually, mini-pupillages will be 1-day in person placements between November and January or July and September.

Applications for mini-pupillage should be made via our Application Form and there are two rounds of applications in each calendar year.

Unfunded Pupillages

Chambers accepts applications (outside the Pupillage Gateway) for unfunded pupillages, but only in circumstances where the candidate does not intend to practise at the Bar of England and Wales. Such applications are subject to Chambers’ ability to accommodate them.

They will be assessed by reference to a combination of the Pupillage Selection Criteria and the business case for offering the unfunded pupillage. They will only be considered if there is strong evidence that the applicant already fulfils the selection criteria and business case as appropriate.

The selection criteria may be found here. The business case requirements will be similar to those required of applications for tenancy from established practitioners, as to which please refer to this section.

Unfunded pupillages will be exceptional and will be subject to obtaining the relevant advertising and funding waivers from the Bar Standards Board. Please note that candidates who have been rejected for pupillage via the Pupillage Gateway will not be considered for an unfunded pupillage. Candidates who are new or recent graduates are very unlikely to be awarded an unfunded pupillage.

Applications should be made by email to Fran Creighton, Keating Chambers, 15 Essex Street, London, WC2R 3AA.

Applications from Established Practitioners

From time to time Keating Chambers formally invites applications for tenancy from established practitioners. These vacancies will be advertised on this website.

Chambers is always willing to consider expressions of interest for tenancy (subject to any decision to advertise prior to considering the application) from established KCs and junior barristers who have a developing or established practice including one or more of the following practice areas: Construction & Engineering; Energy & Natural Resources; International Arbitration; Public Procurement; IT & Technology; and Professional Negligence.

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