THE FUTURE OF
THE MODERN BAR.

We are currently advertising on the Pupillage Gateway for three 12-month Immigration Pupillages to commence in October 2025, April 2026 and October 2026. 

Our pupillage recruitment process follows the Pupillage Gateway timetable, but applications should be submitted outside the Pupillage Gateway, in accordance with the procedure set out below.

Pupillage at Richmond Chambers

Each pupillage is an employed pupillage, full time and for twelve months. During the twelve months each pupil will be allocated to one or more pupil supervisors, but our pupils also have regular opportunities to work for other members of Chambers.

Pupils see a wide range of private client immigration law work including applications, appeals and judicial reviews involving family migration, work and business migration, sponsor licensing and compliance, global talent, the EU settlement scheme, nationality, human rights and asylum. Our focus on direct access work means that pupils can expect daily client contact.

The pupillage year is structured into two six month periods. The first six months (non–practising period) is spent collaborating on a wide range of applications and appeals across all areas of personal and business immigration law, often involving complex and novel points of law. In the second six months (practising period), learning through experience continues, but the reputation of Richmond Chambers is such that our pupils can also expect to be briefed in their own right.

We are committed to providing our pupils with high quality, relevant training. Our barristers provide regular feedback to our pupils in relation to all work undertaken under their supervision and we hold monthly in-house training seminars and a pupil advocacy programme. We also go beyond the Bar Council’s training requirements and provide the additional training that we deem necessary for a successful future direct access practice.

We believe that pupillage should be about learning and gaining experience. Richmond Chambers’ pupils are not required to undertake any competitive advocacy exercises or complete any formal assessments. Nor do we require our pupils to compete against each other. We evaluate each person individually based on merit.

We are committed to recruiting new members from our pupils, after evaluation against our standards of excellence. Our recruitment and training processes are such that in the last 10 years, all pupils have been offered and accepted membership of chambers at the end of their pupillage. We continue to support our new members in the early years of practice, through a structured programme of mentoring and supervision.

We offer each pupil an annual salary package of £30,000 plus a comprehensive benefits package, including 20 days paid holiday (plus 8 bank holidays), interest free travel loan, expenses (including practising certificate fee), funding of compulsory pupillage courses required by the Bar Standards Board, funding of CPD courses, access to our Chambers pension scheme and other benefits in kind. Both salary and benefits can be expected to increase substantially upon successful completion of pupillage.

“During my time at Richmond Chambers, I’ve been exposed to just about every area of immigration law, from bail, asylum and human rights cases through to advising multinational companies on the finer points of business migration. It’s been a lot to take in, but I’ve felt incredibly well-supported by some fantastic supervisors, who’ve always been on hand to talk me through each challenge, and to give detailed, positive and constructive feedback. I’ve worked with almost all the barristers in chambers, and have learned a huge amount from seeing how they approach their practices to deliver outstanding results for their clients. There’s a welcoming and friendly atmosphere in chambers, which creates not only a real sense of mutual professional support, but also a motivating, dynamic and enjoyable work environment.” Thomas Hill, former Pupil Barrister (now Immigration Barrister).

Life After Pupillage

The Professional Statement describes the knowledge, skills and attributes that you will need to develop and apply during the pupillage period in order to qualify as a barrister.  If you meet the required standard at the end of the 12-month pupillage period, you will apply for your full practising certificate and become a qualified barrister.   

We do expect high standards from our pupils and barristers.  However, all pupils who reach the high standards that we set for ourselves will benefit from the security of an employed position upon successful completion of pupillage. 

We recognise that our pupils bring a wide range of experience and have varying levels of immigration law knowledge. For this reason our post-qualification packages are carefully tailored to individual needs.

For those with minimal prior immigration casework experience, you may be offered a 12-month initial practice period during which you will undertake solicitor instructions and work as a junior barrister on direct access applications and appeals alongside your supervisor.  As your legal knowledge and client / case management skills grow, we expect that you will start to take on direct access applications and appeals by yourself.

At the conclusion of the 12-month initial practice period, we hope to be able to offer you a permanent position as a junior barrister.  At this point, you will work increasingly independently on your own cases.  You will have the flexibility to choose the types of immigration cases that interest you the most.  You will also have opportunities to earn additional income based on both your fee receipts and non-casework contributions to chambers.  

Those who start pupillage with extensive prior immigration casework experience may, on successful completion of pupillage, be offered a permanent position as a junior barrister without needing to complete a 12-month initial practice period.     

Whichever route you are on, you will be supported and supervised for a period of 3 years, in line with the Bar Standard Board NPP Programme.      

Compensation packages can be tailored to individual needs and circumstances, but newly qualified barristers typically enjoy the following:

• Competitive and guaranteed basic salary paid monthly
• Additional monthly salary payment based on receipts 
• 30 days paid holiday per year, plus bank holidays
• Unlimited unpaid leave
• Convenient central London location
• Flexible, home and remote working
• Generous maternity leave (including 6 months full pay)
• Paternity and parental leave
• No aged debt
• No chambers rent
• Practising certificate
• Professional insurance
• Bespoke professional development and training
• Online subscriptions to ILPA, EIN and Free Movement
• Private health insurance
• Pension scheme
• Employee wellbeing and discounts app
• A new Apple MacBook 
• Collaborative and supportive work environment
• Exposure to high-profile and challenging immigration cases
• Opportunity to work with a diverse range of clients
• Flexibility to shape your own immigration practice

How to Apply for Pupillage

Our pupillage recruitment process follows the Pupillage Gateway timetable, but applications should be submitted outside the Pupillage Gateway, in accordance with the procedure set out below.

Applications should be made using our online Pupillage Application Form, a link to which will be available on this page once the application window opens on Thursday, 2nd January 2025.

The form must be completed electronically and submitted using the ‘submit’ button at the end of the form, by Thursday, 6th February 2025 (23:59). 

We also invite applicants to complete our Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form.

If you have any correspondence from the BSB regarding dispensations from pupillage, please send this via email to our HR Manager, Nancy Holland nancy.holland@richmondchambers.com. 

We will not accept hard copy applications or consider any other material provided. Applicants are advised to read the guidance note and our selection criteria carefully. 

Once the online application form has been submitted, applicants will receive an email confirming successful submission. A copy of the application form will be attached to the email as a PDF. After the closing date, and once all applications have been reviewed, we will write to each applicant to inform them whether or not their application has progressed through to the next stage. Due to the high number of applications that we receive, we will be unable to provide feedback on unsuccessful applications. Applicants who reach the interview and assessment stage will have an opportunity to receive feedback from a member of our pupillage recruitment panel.

Who Should Apply?

We look for pupils with excellent academic ability and a high level of motivation.

Applicants should have at least a 2:1 degree, and in addition demonstrate a commitment to the Bar, an impressive academic or employment history, and an interest in our specialist area of work.

Our successful candidates tend to be confident, articulate and interesting individuals with the right aptitude for working directly with members of the public.

Neither undertaking a mini-pupillage with us or employment as a legal associate are prerequisites for a successful pupillage application.  Applicants are encouraged to refer to our Pupillage Selection Criteria.

“For an aspiring immigration barrister such as myself, there could have been no better choice for pupillage than Richmond Chambers. The opportunity to delve deeply into all aspects of immigration law alongside expert practitioners in the field is unparalleled and ensures an excellent training ground for budding immigration barristers. Upon joining, it became apparent to me that chambers’ unique collegial atmosphere is not simply welcoming and motivational – the thorough exchange of thoughts and ideas amongst the set’s barristers is key to the high standard of legal services it offers.” Alex Papasotiriou, former Pupil Barrister (now Immigration Barrister)

Equality and Diversity

We encourage applications from candidates from all backgrounds, regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, marital status, religion or belief, or disability.

If you have any questions, please contact our HR Manager, Nancy Holland (nancy.holland@richmondchambers.com).