This document clearly lays out One Stanley Place's pupillage policy. Should you wish to apply for a pupillage, please send your curriculum vitae and a covering letter to the Recruitment Committee on: pupillages(@)1stanleyplace.co.uk
Procedures & Practices
One Stanley Place is an established general common law set of chambers on the Wales and Chester Circuit made up of practitioners who specialise in crime, family and general civil work. It is our normal practice to recruit from the bottom at the rate of one new tenant each year. To that end we interview in October of each year with a view to taking on one pupil for a twelve month pupillage commencing the following September.
Notwithstanding the specialistions of individual members, Chambers, as a whole, is able to provide legal advice and representation in practically every imaginable discipline. This is necessary because of the geographical area covered by us, namely Cheshire, Shropshire and Mid and North Wales, which area throws up a variety of diverse and challenging legal problems.
Accordingly our pupils should expect a grounding in a wide variety of disciplines and specialisation is discouraged in the first few years of practice.
Each pupil will be allocated a supervisor for the first six months. Thereafter the question of whether a change of supervisor for the “second six” is deemed appropriate will be determined by reference to the attributes and aspirtations of the pupil balanced against the needs and expectations of Chambers.
It is our normal practice to take on one pupil in any given year. However, in the event of two outstanding applicants being inertviewed, this practice can be varied from year to year at the discretion of the recruitment committee, which, is made up of a cross section of Chambers’ membership.
In circumstances where a unanimous decision on selection cannot be made by the recruitment committee following the interviews, a shortlist will be prepared of not more than 4 candidates who will then be invited back for a second interview. In such circumstances the candidates short listed will be notified of that decision within 7 days of interview.
Finance
Each pupillage is funded on the following basis:
In respect of the non-practising period of pupillage, the pupil shall be paid the sum of £5,000, payable by equal monthly instalments at the end of each completed month of pupillage;
In respect of the practising period of pupillage the pupil is guaranteed an income of £5,000; any shortfall between that figure and actual income (calculated on a cash basis) will be paid to the pupil at the end of the practising period of pupillage.
Procedures for pupils not taken on
Whilst it is hoped that each pupil taken on will become a tenant on completion of pupillage, it must be realised by each applicant that this is not a guarantee. In the event of a pupillage not leading to a tenancy we will do what we can to assist in an alternative placement. In such a circumstance “squatting” may be permitted, but only for a very limited period (i.e. one or two months ).
Applications
We presently do not participate in OLPAS and applications should be received by 31st August in any given year. Each year the totality of all applications are considered by the recruitment committee between the 7th September and the 21st September, during which period a list of interviewees will be compiled. We believe that by considering the totality of applicants together in a defined period each year we produce a fairer and more balanced assessment than by considering each application individually in a haphazard way at the time of receipt. Accordingly, apply when you want, but realise that you will not receive a letter of offer or rejection until the 21st September at the earliest.
We must stress that a letter of rejection is not an indication that any given applicant has chosen the wrong career path. The fact is that we receive between 150 and 250 applications each year for one position. It follows that we are bound to reject eminently suitable candidates in large numbers.
Interviews
Interviews will normally be conducted on the first or second Saturday in the October of any given year, precise notification of date being given in the offer of interview. We will accommodate those unable, for good reason, to attend on the notified date.
Equal Opportunities
Chambers operates an equal opportunities recruitment policy. Records of applications, interviews and results are retained for a period of 3 years for scrutiny by the appropriate authorities.
Grievance Procedures
Any grievances or queries in relation to any aspect of pupillage may be raised at any time with the pupil’s supervisor, the pupillage co-ordinator, the Head of Chambers or the Practice Manager. Such matters will be tactfully dealt with and in the strictest confidence.
Where not explicitly clear from the above Chambers otherwise operates its pupillage system in accordance with Bar Council guidance for the time being in force. |
