What we’re looking for

Successful candidates for pupillage must demonstrate the ability and motivation to succeed in the areas of work our members specialise in.

The aim of our selection process is to allow candidates to show they meet a standard of excellence judged by our selection criteria. Our criteria are objective and we welcome applications from candidates from all backgrounds and from all universities. The process focuses on your ability and aptitude, and our experience is that this is not pre-determined by the place that you studied, or the background that you come from.

In assessing candidates against our criteria we recognise that pupillage is itself a training process and that people follow different routes to pupillage and are often at different stages of their legal education. It is the potential of candidates we are concerned with. The aim of pupillage is to develop talent so that pupils go on to succeed as tenants in our chambers. For further details regarding selection criteria please see our website.

Starting your pupillage: At the beginning of the pupillage year, each pupil will be introduced to as many of the members of chambers, clerks and staff as practicable. Early on in pupillage, pupils will also be offered training in respect of pleadings by some more junior members of chambers (but not the pupil supervisors) or by an outside trainer. During the first three months of pupillage, there will also be an advocacy-training workshop.

Pupillage structure

Pupillage is split into three periods with three different pupil supervisors. The periods run from October to December, from January to March, and from April to September.

The work pupils do is largely based on our core work but as members of chambers (including pupil supervisors) have their own specialised practices, pupils may also see other areas of chambers’ work.

The first six months

The work of a pupil is varied and you will be involved in most aspects of your pupil supervisor’s practice. You will attend court and conferences with your pupil supervisor. You will assist your pupil supervisor with their work, for instance by carrying out detailed legal research. You will also draft statements of case and write opinions.

The second six months

In the second six months you will continue to do work for your own supervisor and you also do some assessed written work for a prescribed panel of other members of chambers. Chambers places great importance on getting pupils into court in their practising six months as appropriate and you can expect to be in court about once a week during your second six so far as possible.

Advocacy

There will also be two advocacy exercises during pupillage, which are assessed pieces of work. Prior to the practising period of pupillage, there is also a further training session on the types of applications and hearings which you are likely to undertake during your second six months.

Training

For full details of the training that chambers provide as part of pupillage, please visit our website.

Environment

We aim to provide a friendly, supportive and sociable atmosphere. Pupils are included in chambers social events throughout the year.

4 New Square is a member of the Pupillage Gateway.

For information regarding applications and deadlines, please visit the Pupillage Gateway website. For further information please see our website and pupillage videos (Applying for Pupillage, Life as a Pupil and Who we Are) on YouTube.

Mini-pupillages are available to those who have completed at least two years of a university degree. We offer four mini-pupillage days per year. Two dates in summer, usually in July and September and two dates in winter, usually in December and January. On each mini-pupillage day we will welcome up to 20 mini-pupils.

The mini-pupillage day will comprise of:

• Q&A sessions with both senior and junior members of chambers about the work which 4 New Square does, the pupillage application process and life as a pupil and junior tenant
• A lunch at Lincoln’s Inn with members of chambers.
• The opportunity to engage one-to-one with a member of chambers about their work, life at 4 New Square and who will also supervise a written exercise.

For mini-pupils based outside London we reimburse reasonable domestic travel and accommodation expenses up to £350 on production of receipts. Mini-pupils are assessed during their time in chambers, and this assessment is considered in respect of any pupillage application that may be submitted in the future.

Mini-pupillages are not a pre-requisite for a pupillage application, but we encourage potential applicants to do a mini-pupillage in chambers. We believe it is a valuable opportunity to get an understanding of the work we do here, to meet members of chambers and to get a feel for the working environment.

Mini-pupillage application details can be found on our website.

Chambers observes a policy of equal opportunity. All mini-pupils, pupils, tenants and staff are selected on merit alone, irrespective of race, gender, age, sexuality, religious or political belief, disability, marital status or background.

https://www.4newsquare.com/about-us/equality-diversity/

The total annual award is £90,000 (for pupillage commencing 2026), of which £10,000 is paid immediately upon acceptance of the offer and a further £20,000 can be drawn down during the BPTC year. Pupils are allowed to keep any earnings from their second six months.

To assist new tenants to start their careers after pupillage on a sound and stable footing we provide guaranteed minimum earnings for the first 3 years of practice (£95,000 in year one, £105,000 in year two and £115,000 in year three). In the first year, to assist with cash flow, guaranteed earnings are paid in 12 equal monthly instalments.

These guaranteed earnings are normally exceeded by a considerable margin. In the first year of practice, average earnings are generally £160,000- £170,000, in the second year £300,000-£330,000 and in the third year £380,000-£400,000.

In addition, room rent is not charged in the first year of practice and is subsidised in the second year. New junior tenants are not required to pay fixed share expenses in the first year, and pay a percentage of fix share for years two and three.