Today’s the day! At 11.00am on 7 January 2019, the Pupillage Gateway goes live and candidates across the country will start drafting their applications. In this episode, we talk to barristers who, between them, have read thousands of pupillage applications – and who remember how difficult it was to write their own. We talk to members of Gateway and non-Gateway chambers to hear about standard application forms, the challenges of covering letters and application processes that include assessed mini-pupillages. They told us how to demonstrate your written advocacy ability and warned us of some common pitfalls to avoid. They also gave us a rare insight into what happens in chambers when the pile of pupillage application forms arrives. Guests in order of appearance James Duffy: barrister and member of the Pupillage Committee at Fountain Court https://www.fountaincourt.co.uk/people/james-duffy/ Paul Greatorex: barrister at 11KBW https://www.11kbw.com/barristers/paul- greatorex/ Eleena Misra: barrister at Old Square Chambers http://www.oldsquare.co.uk/our- people/profile/eleena-misra and on twitter @EleenaMisra Kate Grange QC: silk at 39 Essex https://www.39essex.com/barrister/kate-grange/ Alison Pickup: barrister and legal director of the Public Law Project https://publiclawproject.org.uk/who-we-are/staff/ Michael Harwood: barrister and President of MTYBA https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-harwood-24273342/?originalSubdomain=uk and on Twitter @mi_harwood Matt Ahluwalia: barrister and Justice First Fellow at the Public Law Project https://jff.thelegaleducationfoundation.org/fellow/matthew-ahluwalia/ Elizabeth Dwomoh: barrister at Lamb Chambers https://www.lambchambers.co.uk/who-can-help-you/barristers/elizabeth-dwomoh Useful Links The Pupillage Gateway: https://www.pupillagegateway.com/ 5 Essex Court is the only chambers (as far as we know!) to publish a full report about its application and interview process each year. No matter what chambers you are applying to, it offers an invaluable insider point of view of what does and does not impress a Pupillage Committee: https://5essexcourt.co.uk/images/uploads/misc/5_Essex_Court_Pupillage_Application_Round_2018.pdf The 5 Essex Court Pupillage Committee also tweets advice from @pupillages https://twitter.com/pupillages?lang=en and junior tenants give an insight into life in chambers on Instagram @5EssexCourt_pupillages https://www.instagram.com/5essexcourt_pupillages/ Everyone who is assessing pupillage candidates must read or do training in this guide so it is a very helpful insight into what barristers might be looking for: https://www.barcouncil.org.uk/media/343819/fair_recruitment_guide_2015_april_final.pdf See what Ishan Kolhatkar (to whom we spoken in the very first episode) has to say about completing application forms: http://bptclecturer.com/selecting-chambers-and-completing-pupillage-application-forms The Student Room usually has an annual The Pupillage Interview/Acceptance/Rejection Thread full of candidates sharing advice and when interview invitations have been sent – here is 2018’s: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=5066896 Perhaps the best advice out there on how to turn your previous work experience into a compelling pupillage application: https://www.theguardian.com/law/2012/apr/20/how-to-write-good-pupillage- application