One Essex Court is a leading commercial set of Chambers. With strength at all levels and a raft of talented barristers coming through the ranks, few sets can match the corporate and commercial awareness of the tenants who are known for giving whatever it takes to win a case.

Areas of practice

The principal areas of practice are:

• Commercial law

• Arbitration

• Banking

• Company law

• Energy

• Insolvency

• European law

• Intellectual property

• Revenue

Members of Chambers have provided advice and representation in many of the major commercial disputes in recent years and also undertake a significant amount of non-litigious advisory work. Recent cases include:

Tangent Investments Ltd v. MF Global UK Ltd and Bomford

’Northern Rock’ - HMT v. RAB / SRM & Others

’Bank Charges’ - OFT v. Abbey & Others

’Buncefield’ - Chevron v. Total

Pupillage and funding

One Essex Court offers four twelve-month pupillages. Chambers offers each pupil £45,000, supplemented by earnings in the second six. Of this, up to one third may be advanced, on request, during a prospective pupil’s Bar Vocational Course (BVC) year. It is our understanding that this is among the highest remuneration packages available to pupils.

Selection of pupils

In selecting pupils One Essex Court is looking for potential members of Chambers. For many years it has maintained a policy of active recruitment, and the object of the award is to attract applicants of the highest quality. Over the past decade more than 50 per cent of pupils have been offered tenancies. There is no limit on the number of tenancies offered in a given year. Applicants are ordinarily expected to have obtained at least a 2.1. Provided a candidate is proven to have the requisite ability, no distinction is drawn between candidates who do and those who do not have a law degree.

Practical experience

From the beginning, pupils assist pupil supervisors with their papers, do legal research, draft opinions, pleadings and skeleton arguments. Chambers provides substantial opportunities for advocacy in the second six months of pupillage. Chambers believes that it is essential for pupils and junior tenants to develop their court-based skills at the earliest possible stage and makes a considerable effort to ensure that pupils gain court and other relevant advocacy experience.

Applications for pupillage

Chambers currently participates in the online pupillage application system. Applications must be made through Pupillage Portal except where an applicant is exempt under the rules.