Recruitment

We know that the route to becoming a barrister is challenging; there are a lot of good candidates and not that many places within chambers. At 5KBW, we aim for it to be no harder than is absolutely necessary. We set high standards and we have high expectations – if you can meet them then you have as good a chance as anybody, whatever your background. For us, it is not about your connections, your family legal pedigree, or which school or university you attended. Instead, it is about whether we can see that you have the potential to become an outstanding advocate.

We regard pupillage as an essential investment in the future of chambers and of the Bar as a whole. See our Diversity and Inclusion page and our diversity report for more on the make-up of 5KBW and how we are striving to broaden access to careers at the Bar. To read about some of our own members of chambers’ routes to the Bar click here.

Prospective pupils must be articulate and highly motivated and resilient individuals who demonstrate academic excellence, high standards of presentation and communication skills, sound judgement and a practical approach to problem solving. We expect you to work hard, to pay attention to what is happening around you, to listen and soak up the advice and insights that come your way and to make the most of every opportunity. In return we invest in you personally and professionally with a generous financial package, a comprehensive advocacy programme and a structured support network of mentors.