ADD ADVICE TO FAVBarrister career timetable
Getting a good degree, putting together an excellent CV and gaining relevant work experience are vital to attaining your goal of becoming a barrister. You’ll also need to be clued up about closing dates for BVC and pupillage applications.
Use the timetables below for law degree and non-law degree students to help plan your route to the Bar.
Law students
Year 1
December to January
Investigate the possibility of doing work experience with a set of chambers.
Summer holidays
Do some work experience, not necessarily with a barrister, and not necessarily legal. Chambers like people with a wide range of experiences.
Throughout the year
Prioritise your studies - you will need good grades. However, pupillages are competitive, so improving your CV is crucial. Get involved in student societies or extracurricular activities such as pro bono work.
Year 2
October to November
Research pupillage funding possibilities.
Christmas break and spring term
Apply for mini-pupillages with chambers and arrange any other legal work experience.
Apply for pupillages with chambers that offer places two years in advance.
April
Participate in Easter vacation work experience schemes.
June onwards
Research different institutions offering the BVC.
Summer break
Carry out mini-pupillages or other work experience.
Year 3
September to December
Apply for the BVC, usually by January.
Join one of the Inns of Court.
Plan relevant summer work experience.
April to September
Make further pupillage applications for ’one year in advance’ pupillages and attend pupillage interviews.
Non-law students
Penultimate year
December to January
Investigate the possibility of doing work experience with a set of chambers.
Summer holidays
Do some work experience, not necessarily with a barrister, and not necessarily legal. Chambers like people with a wide range of experiences.
Throughout the year
Prioritise your studies - you will need good grades. However, pupillages are competitive, so improving your CV is crucial. Get involved in student societies or extracurricular activities such as pro bono work.
Final year
October to December
Research funding possibilities for your pupillage year.
Investigate legal conversion course providers and their CPE/GDL courses, and apply before the February deadline.
Christmas break and spring term
Apply for the CPE/GDL.
Apply for mini-pupillages with chambers and arrange any other legal work experience.
Apply for pupillages with chambers that offer places two years in advance.
April
Participate in Easter vacation work-experience schemes - preferably in the legal field.
Summer break
Carry out mini-pupillages or other work experience.
Conversion course year
September to December
Attend law fairs and pupillage fairs.
Apply for the BVC, usually by January.
Join one of the Inns of Court.
April to September
Make further pupillage applications for ’one year in advance’ pupillages and attend pupillage interviews.
