Five tips for becoming a barrister

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There are many things you can do to help you on your way to becoming a barrister. Read LawCareers.Net’s five tips below – whether you’re just getting started, have finished university or are thinking of a career change, take note of this advice and consider what you can put into action.

1. Join your student law society

Joining your student law society is one of the basic first steps – whether that’s your university’s general law society, non-law society or more specific Bar society. If you want to join a specific Bar society or non-law society and your university doesn’t have one, consider setting one up. Being part of a group of people who are on similar journeys to the Bar will not only provide you with a supportive network, but also open up opportunities to get to know chambers and barristers, and attend events at the Inns of Court, for example.

Plus, once you’re settled, taking an active role in the running of the law society (eg, president or events officer) is a fantastic way to develop key skills that’ll be applicable to a career at the Bar.

Find out why the Inns of Court are important, what they are and why you need to join one in this Feature. There’s also more information on joining one of the Inns of Court below.

Our Student Law Society Awards 2025 are open for submissions. Find out more about the awards and how to nominate your society via the Student Law Society Awards microsite. The deadline for submissions is Friday 17 January 2025.

2. Understand the process of becoming a barrister

Understanding what qualifications and steps are required to become a barrister is key.

We’ve outlined the career path for becoming a barrister, from studying to qualifying, on LawCareers.Net.

There are various actions you can take to support your journey to the Bar, including putting into place the advice mentioned in this article, as well as joining one of the four Inns of Court, which is a necessary step for anyone wanting to become a barrister. You must join an Inn at least 12 weeks before you start a Bar course but if you join earlier, you’ll have:

• the chance to get involved with the activities hosted by the Inn; and
• access to the Inn’s facilities (eg, library).

Other steps to take include (but aren’t limited to):

• researching and applying for a law conversion course if you’re a non-law student;
• final-year and conversion course students should begin making pupillage applications, and know the Pupillage Gateway timetable;
• attend the National Pupillage Fair (hosted in November);
• complete a Bar Course; and
• complete a mini-pupillage.

3. Apply to mini-pupillages

Mini-pupillages are the perfect opportunity to get to know individual chambers and what the work of a barrister entails. While online research can paint part of a picture, the in-person experience that mini-pupillages offer provide a more well-rounded and realistic image of the chambers, the people and the work you might find yourself completing during your pupillage and in years to come as a qualified barrister.

In fact, most of the barristers we speak to say how valuable the mini-pupillage experience is. One barrister at Quadrant Chambers says that mini-pupillages allow “you to observe court proceedings and the work involved behind the scenes”, while also providing “a great opportunity to network and gain practical experience, which is important in strengthening your CV and making informed decisions about which sets you want to apply to”. 

For those who are unsure about which area of law they want to qualify into, completing mini-pupillages in a variety of chambers that specialise in different practice areas is an option, much like Rabin Kok of South Square did. Not only will your participation in a mini-pupillage set yourself up better for decision making, but it’s also a “useful way to demonstrate your commitment to a career at the Bar”, says Antonia Eklund from Blackstone Chambers.

Find out more about what a mini-pupillage entails on LawCareers.Net.

4. Get involved in mooting

Advocacy is one of the key skills required to become a successful barrister and mock moots are a fantastic way to develop yours. For those of you unfamiliar with a ‘moot’, it refers to a competition in which you’ll present your arguments on a fictional legal appeal case to either the Court of Appeal or the House of Lords. The moot will also take place in a mock court.

You can talk about your mooting experience on your CV and during interviews to highlight your skill set, as well as your dedication to, and enthusiasm for, the profession.

While building on your advocacy is at the core of mooting, there are so many other essential skills that you’ll pick up along the way, including researching, attention to detail and teamwork.

If you’re interested in taking part in a moot, speak to your university’s law society to see whether they know of any upcoming ones you can get involved with. There’s also lots of information available online about mooting opportunities.

5. Get involved in pro bono work

Pro bono provides many benefits – not just to you as an aspiring barrister, but also to the people you’re helping. Pro bono is voluntary work undertaken by lawyers and law students to improve access to the legal profession.

There are several ways you can get involved in pro bono, one of which is through student law clinics. You’ll develop a host of useful skills, including advocacy and communication, that are crucial to a career at the Bar. As well as building on these skills, pro bono will also provide snippets into life in the law and give you an idea as to whether it’s the right career for you.

Read this LCN Says to find out how you can get involved in pro bono and how to find the right opportunity for you and your goals.

Good luck!