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Ten Old Square

1 Pupillages
27 Tenants
3 Tenancies in last 3 years

We are a highly regarded commercial chancery set based in London, with specialisms in private client, Court of Protection, partnerships/LLPs, property and commercial chancery work.

More info

Head of chambers

Mr Simon Taube KC


We are a specialist Chancery set, based in Lincoln's Inn, working on leading cases in our key practice areas. Our size means that no one is lost in the crowd. We maintain a friendly and relaxed atmosphere while still producing a first-rate service for our clients. We have a very experienced clerks’ team who take an active role in ensuring that each member’s practice is successful.

As a junior in chambers, you will carry out work across a broad range of chancery practice. Some of this work will be led, but you will take the lead in the majority of your cases. The work you see will always be interesting and you will be well paid. As you progress, it is likely (although not required) that you will start to specialise in one of chambers’ practice areas – that choice will be steered by you. You will have the full support of the clerks and chambers’ marketing committee in building your practice and applying for silk, judicial or other positions compatible with a life at the Bar.

Private client, Court of Protection, partnerships and LLPs, property and commercial chancery.

We are looking for a potential tenant. Candidates should be of proven high academic ability and possess excellent powers of analysis, reasoning and presentation. In addition, the successful candidate will demonstrate sound judgement and be highly motivated. Our specific selection criteria are set out in our pupillage policy, available on our website.

Ten Old Square is committed to equality of opportunity and keen to promote diversity amongst its pupils and members. We encourage applications from all, in particular from candidates from minority ethnic backgrounds.

Our selection process is as follows:

  • First round interviews for around 30 candidates, which last for 15 to 20 minutes. Candidates will be given a written problem to consider shortly before the interview and will be asked some general questions. Around 10 candidates will be selected for the next stage.
  • Candidates will be sent a written problem (often a mock set of instructions) to complete in their own time.
  • Second round interviews, which last for around 45 minutes. Candidates will answer some general questions, discuss their opinion and respond to a debate question.

For those candidates who are selected for an offer or a place on the reserve list, there is a non-assessed open day, so they can see if they like us.

The pupillage is structured so that our pupil can see the full range of chambers’ work. You will have two pupil supervisors throughout the 12 months and will sit with two other members of chambers, under the supervision of your supervisor. It is also likely that, throughout the pupillage, you will undertake work for other members of chambers. Monitoring of a pupil’s progress takes place at the end of work through discussion with your pupil supervisor and through monthly written reviews, rather than by way of formal assessment.

Chambers uses the Pupillage Gateway.

We offer one 12-month pupillage.

Mini-pupillages will generally take place over two to three days and we usually offer nine a year. Apply by application form, which is available on the website. The deadlines are 1 March, 15 July and 1 November.

We offer three ‘access’ mini-pupillages per year to candidates who fulfil at least one of our access criteria. Access mini-pupils are guaranteed a first round pupillage interview.

We are committed to widening access to the Bar to those from under represented backgrounds, but we know we need to do better.

We run workshops in schools aimed at encouraging minority ethnic school pupils, focussed on encouraging them to consider careers at the Bar, with training in useful skills such as interview technique, public speaking and debating and mock-court room exercises.

As well as our access mini-pupillages (discussed in the mini-pupillage section), we take part in the Bridging the Bar, the Inner Temple’s Pegasus Access and Support and the Middle Temple’s Access to the Bar Schemes.

We keep our pupillage application and tenancy decision process under regular review to ensure it is conducted openly and objectively, in accordance with the principles of equality, diversity and inclusion. All those involved in recruitment have undertaken fair recruitment and unconscious bias training with an experienced trainer approved by the Bar Council.

Only clerks and members who have undergone approved equality and diversity training are permitted to allocate unassigned work. Allocation data is recorded and scrutinised by the management committee at each monthly meeting and at least annually by the equality and diversity officers who deal with any concerns and report to the chambers’ AGM.

We are signed up to Chambers UK Diversity and Inclusion Charter, a global initiative to promote a diverse and inclusive legal profession.

£75,000, with the option of drawing down £18,750 in the year prior to pupillage.

Practice Areas

Extra info

10 Old Square, Lincoln's Inn, London, WC2A 3SU
Phone: 020 7405 0758
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.tenoldsquare.com
Mini-pupillages: Yes