Pallant Chambers – 12 months – October 2026

Pupillage Vacancy Information

About Authorisation Education Training Organisation

As one of the South’s leading sets we are consistently ranked as a leading Chambers in the Legal 500. This is testament to the quality of our work and the service we provide both for solicitors and lay clients.

We only recruit pupils who we believe will be offered tenancy and we pride ourselves on retaining and developing our talent. Pupils work closely with their pupil supervisor(s) and other members of Chambers, particularly those who are themselves new to their practice, and they play a full part in Chambers’ life.

We offer pupils and junior tenants the opportunity to undertake high quality, challenging and interesting civil or family work from an early stage. Pupils are able to build a strong practice for themselves, including High Court cases, with the majority of their work based throughout Sussex, Hampshire, Surrey, and Dorset. 

Structure of Pupillage 

Your first six months will be spent shadowing your pupil supervisor(s) and other members of Chambers. You will be expected to accompany them to court and other appointments, to draft pleadings and opinions and undertake practice advocacy exercises. Feedback is given on all of your written and advocacy work, and there will be various reviews throughout the six months.

In the second six months, you can expect a busy court practice and to undertake paperwork in your own right. You will continue to be supported by your pupil supervisor(s) and other members of Chambers.

Your pupillage is a two-way process and we will work with you so that you can get the maximum benefit from your training, including by adapting your pupillage to give you exposure to the particular areas of law in which you want to specialise. You will be a part of Chambers’ life and will attend social functions and be able to develop relationships with the clerks and professional clients.  We care very much for our pupils and will regularly ensure that whilst working hard you have a healthy work-life balance.

Financial and Other Support Available 

Our current pupillage award is £35,000, comprising a £17,500 award in the first six months, and £17,500 guaranteed earnings in the second six months. In practice our pupils usually earn more than this as a result of the cases that they undertake in their second six. Chambers also covers pupils’ travel expenses as required by the BSB, so this award and a pupil’s earnings go that much further.

Without the expense of living in London and with the added amenities of the South Coast, including the rolling hills and woodlands of the South Downs, the beaches at the Witterings, and the vibrant city nightlife of Brighton and Southampton, this award allows for an unrivalled quality of life for our pupils.

We would also be pleased to support our pupils if they are eligible for and wish to apply for additional grants or funding from other sources, such as the Inns of Court, during pupillage.

Equality Diversity and Inclusion

Pallant Chambers is committed to Equality Diversity and Inclusion. At the shortlist stage, applications are anonymised and all those involved in recruitment are expected to have studied the Bar Council's Fair Recruitment Guide. 

If you have any accessibility requirements related to your application, please contact Alister Williams at awilliams@pallantchambers.co.uk.

Artificial Intelligence

Please see the documents attached for our chambers' AI policy. Pallant Chambers recognises the growing benefits of AI to a barrister's practice and this will be explored within pupillage, however, it should not be used for any part of the application process.

How to Apply

Aspiring barristers are invited to apply to chambers between 5 January 2026 and 22 January 2026 using the Pupillage Gateway application system to search for the relevant Pupillage Vacancy and selecting ‘Apply for this pupillage’.

Candidates will be asked to respond to the following questions:

1. Why do you believe that you will make a good barrister? In your answer, please identify any relevant experiences or skills that you believe may help you in your career. (Word limit: 200)

2. Why do you want to join our chambers? In your answer, please give reasons for your choice of chambers, explain how your values might align with Pallant Chambers' values, and explain why you are interested in our areas of practice. (Word limit: 200)

3. Are you applying for a civil law or family law pupillage. In your answer, please explain why you are interested in this area of law. (Word limit: 200)

4. Please identify an area of law related to your chosen practice area(s) where, in your view, the current legal framework disproportionately disadvantages a particular group. Explain the reasons for this imbalance, and how the law could be reformed to promote greater fairness or access to justice. (Word limit: 750)

5. If there is anything else relevant to your application that you would like us to know about you, please tell us here. (Word limit: 200)