Outer Temple Chambers is committed to offering a unique mini-pupillage experience.
We at Outer Temple Chambers are keen to offer aspiring barristers the opportunity of a valuable insight into life at the Bar. We offer mini-pupillages twice a year, in the summer (in partnership with Bridging the Bar) and in the winter, and usually take up to 12 candidates at a time.
During the course of a three-day programme, mini-pupils attend a series of talks given by members of Chambers, participate in an advocacy exercise, and are taken on a walking tour of the Royal Courts of Justice and/or the Temple. The talks are designed to give mini-pupils an insight into Chambers’ core practice areas and into life at the Bar in general. There are also Q&A sessions with our current pupils and most junior members of Chambers who are well placed to explain their recent experience of applying for pupillage through the Pupillage Gateway and to provide an insight into life in Chambers at the junior end.
Quite apart from the information we hope to provide over the course of the three days, we have consistently been told by former mini-pupils that the chance to attend a mini-pupillage as part of a group rather than as an individual is not only valuable but is far more enjoyable than the standard and potentially rather isolating experience provided by a more conventional mini-pupillage.
Our winter mini-pupillage application window is now closed. Our summer 2026 mini-pupillage, in partnership with Bridging the Bar will commence in June/July 2026. Please contact Bridging the Bar to find out more.
We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, in particular those underrepresented at the Bar, and strive to ensure that applicants are treated fairly and are offered a mini-pupillage solely on the basis of merit. We monitor all stages of our recruitment procedure to ensure that no discrimination takes place. For further information, please contact our HR & Regulatory Manager on 020 7353 6381 or by email (pupillage@outertemple.com).
Candidates must have completed at least one year of university education. In selecting candidates for mini pupillage we will take into account the following.
Our mini pupillages are not assessed, and they do not count towards any pupillage application.
If you would like to find out more about our mini-pupillage programmes please contact pupillage@outertemple.com.
“I am confident in saying that this has been my most valuable mini-pupillage experience yet.” – Mini-Pupil (Summer 2023)
Lincoln’s Inn run a scheme to assist students fund mini pupillages. The Mini Pupillage Grant Scheme offers financial assistance to students who have secured a mini pupillage but need additional funds to complete it. The fund is intended to help with the cost of long distance travel, commuting, accommodation and purchasing appropriate professional clothing. The value of each grant is calculated based on the applicant’s anticipated expenses up to a maximum of £500.
Applicants do not need to members of Lincoln’s Inn and must meet certain social mobility based criteria to be eligible for a grant. More details including all of the application criteria and application form can be found on the funding page of their website. Applications are open all year round.
Whilst our mini-pupillages are not funded, Outer Temple does not wish potential applicants to be discouraged from applying for a mini-pupillage for financial reasons.
We will reimburse mini-pupils’ reasonable travel expenses and/ or the cost of necessary overnight accommodation (up to £150/night). Overnight accommodation is usually considered to be necessary only if the commute into a central London station is over 90 minutes long. We will reimburse travel costs, but advance standard class tickets must be purchased. Please email Asia Gibbs (asia.gibbs@outertemple.com) in advance of your mini-pupillage to seek approval for your expenses.
Mini-pupils wishing to claim such expenses should retain receipts and submit a completed Travel Expenses Form within 2 weeks of completing their mini pupillage.
Reimbursement of expenses is at the discretion of Outer Temple. Outer Temple will not reimburse an expense claimed if it is unreasonable.
The Lawyer Portal (TLP) is a ‘one stop shop’ for anyone considering a career in law, whatever their stage or background. Whether your interest lies in qualifying as a barrister, chartered legal executive, solicitor or paralegal, you will find this a valuable resource.
Outer Temple Chambers participates in various pupillage fairs throughout the year. Please contact your university’s careers service to find out if we are attending your fair or you can meet us at the Bar Council Pupillage Fair and the Legal Cheek Pupillage Fair.
Chambers is a Disability Confident employer. As users of the disability confident scheme, we encourage applicants with a disability to apply to us for advertised vacancies and we aim to interview all disabled applicants who meet the criteria for the vacancy.
The Disability Confident scheme is operated by the Department of Work and Pensions of the UK government.
