Eleanor Hull - Currently completing her Pupillage

"From the moment I interviewed at St. Mary’s everyone was warm and encouraging. As I was offered pupillage prior to starting the bar course, I was offered opportunities to integrate into Chambers in the 18 months before beginning. This included being invited to Chambers conferences and networking events – ensuring that I felt welcomed before I even began pupillage.

During my first three weeks of pupillage, I had the opportunity to witness a breadth of family law matters and received regular feedback and mentorship. Every member of Chambers is supportive and genuinely wants to see you succeed. I look forward to completing my pupillage with St. Mary’s and continuing to learn from experienced and knowledgeable practitioners."

Jaime Turner - completed pupillage in 2022-23

"The process of obtaining pupillage is a daunting one. It is vital that you join a chambers that is the right one for you. St Mary’s is incredibly supportive and the opportunity to work in an environment where I could develop and excel was what drew me there. Your supervisors and chambers want you to succeed and at St. Mary’s every pupil is taken on with the view to tenancy. Not only is this an exceptionally fortunate position but it there is a sense of true investment in development of each pupil. It allows you to demonstrate how well you perform with support, opportunity and encouragement."

"Pupillage is all about learning, these are my top tips to help you navigate the exciting challenge of a pupillage at St. Mary’s:

• Refine your research skills, ask questions and make good notes: developing the skills to find answers accurately and efficiently is an invaluable skill that you will continue to hone throughout pupillage.
• Prepare, prepare, prepare: there will be some long days, but it is essential that you prepare thoroughly for each case to get the most out of the experience.
• Remember wellbeing: pupillage can be tiring and there will inevitably be some days where you work long hours. Take some time to yourself during the quieter periods or at weekends to help ensure that you don’t burn out."

"Like with every learning process, your feeling of competence will ebb and flow throughout pupillage. Expect and embrace the never-ending development journey. Absorb feedback you receive, work diligently and conscientiously. Remember: mistakes are the portals of discovery, just try not to ‘discover’ too much at once."

Fleur Claoue de Gohr - Currently completing her Pupillage

"I’ve felt so welcomed by everyone in Chambers during my pupillage, no question feels silly, and everyone will make time to help you, it’s that collegiate and supportive atmosphere of everyone in Chambers makes St Mary’s an ideal environment for pupillage. There’s a real focus on pupils being given a wide and varied experience, and I feel like my pupillage has been personalised specifically for me based on my knowledge and experience. It’s that tailored experience that really sets a pupillage at St Mary’s apart from other sets and gives future pupils confidence that they are going to get the best training, from the best set, in what is a critical point in their career."