Members of chambers undertake litigation and provide advice in relation to all areas of tax law, both personal and corporate. Members appear in courts at all levels from the tax tribunals to the Supreme Court and even in overseas jurisdictions. Tax questions arise not only in the context of tax appeals to the tax tribunal, but also in, for example, judicial review proceedings, disputes between businesses, claims for restitution in the High Court as well as matrimonial finance proceedings and professional negligence claims.

Anyone interested in practising in an area of law requiring an analytical mind and the ability to consider and apply other areas of law. Tax advice provides intellectually stimulating challenges, while tax litigation (which is an important part of our work) often involves novel points of law, as well as complex statutory interpretation and factual analysis. Many recent developments in the law of restitution have been tested in tax cases.

We do not expect our pupillage applicants to have any previous experience of tax or tax law. What is required is a good general legal knowledge, as well as a facility for interpreting the often difficult statutory provisions and explaining these clearly to clients (and judges). Commercial awareness, clear thinking and a creative mind will help find practical solutions to the problems presented. Only around half of our members did law degrees – a non-law degree is no barrier to success at the tax bar, particularly if it involved explaining difficult concepts clearly. If you enjoy highly technical subjects like contract, equity, restitution or EU law you are likely to enjoy tax.

Chambers offers 12-month pupillages. Pupils generally spend their first 10 weeks with one pupil supervisor followed by four to six weeks with three other supervisors. They also spend time with silks and senior juniors. This allows them to see a wide variety of work and also gives members at different levels of seniority the opportunity to give them feedback.

We work hard to make pupillage a positive learning experience. Pupils work with a different members of chambers at varying levels of seniority, including the most senior silks. We want to attract and support the best candidates. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all pupillage applicants and candidates for tenancy.

Chambers recruits pupils via the Pupillage Gateway. Details of the application process are available on our website.

We welcome applications for funded mini-pupillages. Mini-pupillages are available throughout the year. Applications by covering letter and CV in accordance with the instructions on our website (where deadlines and further details can be found). Chambers also offers places via Bridging the Bar’s flagship mini-pupillage scheme – applications for which are considered separately.

Pupils are typically awarded £75,000, up to £30,000 of which can be drawn down in the year before pupillage.