4 Pump Court invests time and energy in its pupils, with a training programme that gives them significant experience of chambers’ key practice areas. From their second six months, our pupils are on their feet and developing their skills as advocates. Our new tenants have busy and diverse practices, with cases in their own right and as part of larger teams. They can draw upon the support of colleagues across seniority levels and each have dedicated mentors (a barrister and a practice manager). We believe all this provides a real launch pad for a successful career at the Bar.

4 Pump Court enjoys a market-leading position across an unparalleled range of commercial work, with particular expertise in: construction and engineering; international arbitration; energy; insurance and reinsurance; technology and telecommunications; shipping; banking; and professional negligence. We are ranked highly in the legal directories in all our areas of specialism.

We look to recruit bright, independent-minded candidates with excellent academic qualifications (minimum 2.1) who have the potential to become outstanding barristers and advocates. They will be articulate and confident, and have the ability to get on with people and to demonstrate common sense and sound judgment. We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity, and select candidates for pupillage and tenancy on merit.

4 Pump Court has a strong record of recruitment from its pupils. There is no quota of any sort and we look to take on all pupils who meet the required standard. We have offered tenancy to all of our pupils for the last five years.

Where pupils are not offered tenancy they have an excellent record of finding third six pupillages elsewhere. There’s a smooth transition from pupillage to tenancy. As with pupillage, our aim is to give you all the support you need to flourish in this exciting and rewarding profession.

You’ll have four pupil supervisors, each for three months. Together, they aim to give you a rounded experience of chambers’ key practice areas. The first six months will involve training from your pupil supervisors in the work of a commercial barrister. You will accompany them to Court and conferences with clients and produce written work. They’ll review your work and provide constructive feedback. It is a steep learning curve – your supervisors will help you master skills required by successful barristers.

During pupillage, you will also undergo four formal assessments- two pieces of written work and two advocacy exercises, each assessed by members of chambers other than the pupil supervisors. You will receive detailed feedback at each stage to ensure that you are able to develop your talents and gain a real-life understanding of the skills required of a commercial barrister.

We will be recruiting for around two pupilages to commence in 2026. Applications are to open in early 2025 on the 4 Pump Court website.

We have recently conducted a review of how we provide mini-pupillages. We have listened to feedback and from April 2024 onwards, we will run mini-pupillage days. We have designed these to maintain the best things about a “traditional” mini-pupillage, like time with a junior barrister and receiving feedback on an exercise. The new structure also allows us to provide new opportunities, such as the chance to meet a wider range of barristers (including more senior members of chambers) as well as to meet clerks and take part in panel discussions about pupillage, life as a junior barrister, and more.

The forthcoming dates for our mini-pupillage days are:

• 5 December 2024
• 16 April 2025
• 3 July 2025
• 29 September 2025
• 12 December 2025

Applications for our mini pupilages open and close on a rolling basis, please see our website to apply.

We are committed to equal opportunities and diversity, and aim to select candidates for both pupillage and tenancy on merit irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

4 Pump Court is a supporter of the Charter for Black Talent in Finance and the Professions (the Black Talent Charter) and gives deliberate preference to Black candidates when faced with a tie-breaker situation, providing such candidates are equally qualified.

Our current statistics show:

• Female juniors: 30%
• Female KCs: 13%
• BME juniors: 10%
• BME KCs: 6%

4 Pump Court offers a generous pupillage award. In our forthcoming recruitment round, we will be offering around two pupillages in September 2026 with awards of £80,000, of which up to £25,000 may be advanced during the Bar Training Course. In addition, our pupils receive substantial second six earnings from carrying out their own court work, with gross billing guaranteed to be at least £10,000. We believe that these second six earnings typically exceed those at other top commercial sets.