Survey Results - Trainee feedback on Wilberforce Chambers

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

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

Why did you choose these chambers over any others?

‘Quality/area of work; excellent mini pupillage and interview experience’, ‘it is the best at what it does’, ‘friendly barristers, high quality of work, good diversity of work areas’, ‘quality of work, friendly atmosphere’

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

‘Much better’, ‘more thorough, but less pressurised. It prepared me well for practice’, ‘comparatively more relaxed than at other chambers, without compromising on quality’, ‘I think the supervisors at Wilberforce are especially dedicated to training- they take a lot of time to teach us relevant skills. We get more opportunity to practice practical skills such as drafting and advocacy than at other chambers where they may end up doing more research notes which are useful to the supervisor but less useful for development’

Best thing about chambers?

‘The friendliness and approachability of members of chambers’, ‘plenty of very good work across a broad range of subject areas’, ‘the range and quality of work’

Worst thing about chambers?

The non-practising second six’, ‘you have to turn down lots of good work, because you are already too busy on other matters’, ‘as with many commercial chancery sets, there is an underrepresentation of women, ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities’

Best moment to date?

‘Being involved in many high-level appellate cases on cutting edge areas of the law’, ‘winning my first trial’, ‘being taken on as a tenant’

Worst moment to date?

‘Struggling with the complexity of assessed tasks’, ‘the wait to see if I had been taken on’, ‘there have been a few occasions where multiple big cases have become busy at the same time, which can be stressful and take a toll on your personal life!’

CSR/Pro bono?

‘Excellent’, ‘there are often emails sent round chambers asking for people to volunteer for schemes such as with the Sutton Trust, COIN, CLIPS, Advocate etc’, ‘many opportunities, we are encouraged to take them’, ‘good- lots of opportunities eg: COIN, CLIPS, Advocate’