Devereux Chambers is recommended as a top civil chambers and has leading barristers in its main specialist fields:

• Employment
• Insurance and reinsurance
• Personal injury and clinical negligence

This well-established set has a reputation for being very friendly and down to earth. It places strong emphasis on advocacy skills and regularly recruits one or two new junior tenants from its pupils.

Applicants need at least a 2.1 degree and good all-round CV as Chambers aims to select strong advocates and future leaders of the Bar. Up to 40 candidates are selected for interview and 10 to 15 are shortlisted for second interview. Two twelve-month pupillages are offered, recently carrying a £30,000 award – £8,000 of which can be advanced for the BVC. Visit the website for terms and details of the 2009 awards.

Pupillage includes periods working with three different pupil supervisors from each of the main practice areas. There is a good mix of attending court, sitting in on conferences, carrying out legal research and drafting. Pupils are encouraged to do FRU work and during the second six months do their own work and cases in the Employment Tribunal or County Court; typically about two hearings a week.

Chambers prides itself on providing training of the highest standard with feedback from a wide variety of practitioners and insight into differences of approach and practice. There is formal advocacy training and assessment before ex-Devereux judges and written assessments in each of the main practice areas. Pupils are encouraged to join in with Chambers’ social activities including lunches, evening events, netball, football and cricket.

For pupillages, please apply through the Pupillage Portal

(summer season) www.pupillages.com.