Survey Results - Trainee feedback on Gatehouse Chambers

The lowdown - Pupils (in their own words) on Gatehouse Chambers

We sent The Legal 500 Future Lawyers Pupil and Junior Barrister survey to pupils and juniors up to two years in tenancy at Gatehouse Chambers. Here is what they had to say:

Why did you choose these chambers over any others?

‘Reputation’, ‘in addition to being a top property set, I loved Gatehouse’s progressive outlook and felt that I had genuine rapport with people on my interviewing panel’, ‘the quality of training and teaching they provide was clearly one of the best when applying. Also, the mixture of work is pretty unique compared to other chambers in equivalent fields, which tend to be more specialist’

How does your training compare with what you hear from pupils/juniors at other chambers?

‘I’ve been at another chambers (I did third six at Gatehouse) and Gatehouse’s quality of work and supportiveness is in a league of its own’, ‘very favourably – the pupillage at Gatehouse is really well structured and less hierarchical than in some other places. There is a real focus on giving you a diverse range of high-quality work’, ‘it seems very structured here in comparison. The winger system creates a far more structured way to work for other members of chambers, and explore different practice areas’

Best thing about chambers?

‘Supportiveness of colleagues’, ‘impossible to pick one – culture, people, chambers’ building, progressive attitudes, high-quality work’, ‘the environment and culture created makes it feel like anyone is willing to help if needed’

Worst thing about chambers?

‘The mixed work has the disadvantage that you rarely do the same thing twice, so are constantly having to research things from scratch’

Best moment to date?

‘Hard to say – I was impressed by all of the training’, ‘attending a three-day trial, preparing for it alongside the barrister and watching her get an amazing win at the end’, ‘a multi-day trial in a case which had a fair amount of publicity. My supervisor effectively used me as a junior which provided a great opportunity to work at that level in preparation for tenancy’

Worst moment to date?

‘There hasn’t been one – obviously though it is hard having your work dissected!’

CSR/Pro bono?

‘Very good’, ‘really good – there are lots of opportunities to get involved’,
‘very good – It is less of a focus during pupillage, but it is certainly pushed throughout early years of practice as a way of getting experience on more complex cases at an earlier stage’