Chambers profile
One Essex Court is a pre-eminent set of barristers’ chambers, specialising in commercial litigation and arbitration, both domestic and international. Members provide specialist advice and advocacy services worldwide, which include all areas of dispute resolution before a range of courts and tribunals. Barristers here can regularly be found appearing in much of the high profile litigation passing through the English High Court, often for opposing parties.
Type of work undertaken
Chambers’ work embraces all aspects of domestic and international trade, commerce and finance. Members of chambers are recognised specialists in the many diverse fields characterised as commercial disputes work, also regularly accepting nominations as arbitrators, mediators and experts. Work here includes, but is not limited to: arbitration; banking and financial services; civil fraud and investigations; commercial litigation; company and insolvency; competition and EU; energy and natural resources (oil, gas, utilities etc); insurance; intellectual property; IT, media and broadcasting; professional liability; public law; sports; gaming and licensing; tax and revenue law.
Pupil profile
Chambers has for many years maintained a policy of active recruitment and expansion and only offers pupillage to those who are thought capable of becoming tenants. Provided a candidate is proven to have the requisite ability, no distinction is drawn between candidates who do and those who do not have a law degree. Pupils at One Essex Court do not compete against one another for a predetermined maximum intake.
Pupillage
At least five guaranteed 12-month pupillages are offered per year, each with substantial funding. In addition, chambers now offers a separate pupillage within its intellectual property group. From the beginning, pupils assist pupil supervisors with their papers, do legal research, draft opinions, pleadings and skeleton arguments. There are substantial opportunities for advocacy in the second six months of pupillage. Chambers subscribes to Pupillage Gateway.
Mini-pupillages
One Essex Court does not offer commercial mini-pupillages. Instead, we run
Open Days, which allow a wide-range of people to experience Chambers and our work, and we also participate in
access schemes such as Bridging the Bar and a number of
mentoring programmes.
Funding
Chambers offers each pupil £80,000, supplemented by earnings in the second six. It is understood that this is amongst the highest awards available to pupils. An advance of the award is available, upon request, during a prospective pupil’s Bar Practice Course (BPC) year. In addition to the pupillage award, there is also an interest free new tenant loan available on successful completion of pupillage.
