2 Temple Gardens - True Picture

2 Temple Gardens pupillage review 2025

The Chambers

Tackling novel challenges can be a daunting feat. In some cases, it’s best to go in feet first – with the necessary due diligence, of course. It’s exactly what 2 Temple Gardens did when they took on a first-of-its-kind Covid-19 business interruption case, with Charles Dougherty KC and Timothy Killen representing the policyholders involved in UAE courts.

Tricky insurance work is just a portion of 2TG’s forte, as times are changing at this bustling set. “Five years ago, I’d have said the majority of the work was defendant insurer, but things have moved on a lot,” senior clerk Lee Tyler updates us. “Our commercial work (which is non-insurance backed) and our traditional areas have grown. We’re actively seeking and have seen an increase in claimant work too. It sits very nicely with what we do whether that’s product liability, medical products, personal injury, property damage, fires or floods.” With insurance firms continuing to line the clients list, on the claimant side instructions are increasingly coming from the likes of Leigh Day, Irwin Mitchell, and Pogust Goodhead. “This year had been dominated by substantial group actions involved in diesel emissions case and that will probably keep us busy until mid-2026,” Tyler adds. Clients here have included the likes of Suzuki and BMW.

“…a breadth that would allow me to build my practice deductively.”

As you might expect at a truly mixed civil and commercial set, insurance-related clinical negligence, property, commercial fraud, dispute resolution, and banking and finance matters for corporates and high network individuals shape the work here, offering pupils and juniors “a breadth that would allow me to build my practice deductively.” In Chambers UK Bar, the set is awarded the very best for its travel (international personal injury) and property damage work, and scoops up merits for its group litigation, product liability, and domestic personal injury work.

On the international stage, Benjamin Brown KC successfully defended a medical malpractice case at a ten-day trial in the Trinidad and Tobago Court of Appeal, in relation to cerebral palsy allegedly caused at birth. Over in the property damage realm, matters range from damage caused to rail lines by pesky Japanese knotweed, to the alleged inadequate resurfacing of the Formula 1 Silverstone Circuit, to major incidents like the Grenfell disaster in 2017. As example of the set’s growing Middle East strength, on the commercial side, Charles Doughtery KC successfully acted in a $60 million aviation insurance dispute in Abu Dhabi courts following a hailstorm in Italy which caused damage to a corporate jet.

The Pupillage Experience

Pupils split the first six between two supervisors. For the second six, they’re able to get on their feet with their final supervisor. As a rule of thumb, “You should expect to sit with someone who does clinical negligence or personal injury – it’s the bread and butter in a way,” a pupil explained, “But they are very accommodating as to what other practices you want to see.”

Kicking off with the first six, pupils do a mix of dead and live work. “The majority of the work was dead papers to hone the skills needed before tackling high stakes live cases,” one pupil recalled. “The second part was almost entirely live work.” This involved drafting defences and advices. “I was producing conference agendas, counter schedules, defences, advices on quantum and liability,” they described. “I’ve seen clinical negligence, product liability, insurance, sort of everything under that remit of property damage, high value personal injury and group litigation as well as a bit private international law.” In preparation for the second six, pupillage committee member Helen Bell explains, “We give pupils the opportunity towards the end of their first six to go to court with junior members to see what type of work they’ll be doing on their own feet.” Pupils also complete advocacy training exercises “which are applications and trials based, like a witness cross-examination exercise, for example.”

“It was the reason I wanted to come here – I wanted to get on my feet quickly.”

Pupils then hit the ground running in their second six,tackling a mixture of interlocutory applications, fast track and small claims trials. “I’m in court two to three times a week and I’m not being led by anyone,” a pupil emphasised, adding, “There’s lots of small claims, often road traffic accidents – the classic two cars collide and blame each other.” As pupils gradually get the hang of things, there’s the opportunity to pick up larger claims: “I did a claim for a big energy company as someone didn’t pay their bills. Really, it can be anything weird and wonderful,” we heard. “It was the reason I wanted to come here – I wanted to get on my feet quickly,” a pupil praised.

It sounds daunting but fret not! “People are around to take last minute calls; they remember it’s nerve racking,” one junior reassured, “I remember calling someone when court broke out saying ‘Oh this thing’s come up and I’m not really sure what to do, what’s the answer?’” Pupils receive a formal junior mentor, too: “Mine always pops in for a quick chat. It’s confidential so what I say won’t be fed back the pupillage committee. They also made the effort to meet me before I joined – it was nice knowing that someone had my back from day one.”

As for the hours? “In the first six, I would be in by 9am and my supervisors would tell me to leave between 6 to 6.30pm,” a pupil recalled. Second six is a busy time, so hours can be longer. “We ensure pupils are protected from an excessive workload, whilst ensuring they are doing the right types of work,” Bell stresses, “All additional work from other members comes through the supervisor.”

Members do put down the tools and socialise too. First Thursdays have recently been introduced with a chambers-wide lunch, and an evening talk followed by a drinks reception. “It has really led the way to everyone making more of an effort –  a nice contrast to how things can sometimes be post-Covid,” a pupil told us. Every Wednesday, there’s also a chambers tea. An interviewee reflected, “I remember thinking this sounds horribly old fashioned, but actually it’s a nice informal opportunity for people to get together and chat.” During these sit-downs, “People also volunteer to provide a cake. I must say my favourites are the homemade ones…” one pupil mused.

“The friendliness and inclusiveness are the biggest strengths... I feel like I won the lottery in that respect.”

The set also received rave reviews from our sources for its collaborative culture: “It’s normal for people to talk about their cases and ask for opinions. The friendliness and inclusiveness are the biggest strengths, particularly at the junior end. It makes the real difference; I feel like I won the lottery in that respect.” Another wholeheartedly agreed, “They’ll sit and have a cup of tea with you and give you a pep talk – which is fantastic. It really is open doors.”

The time arrives for the tenancy decision at the nine-month mark. Up until then, the pupil’s performance is taken into consideration, as well as the quarterly supervisor reports and formal feedback provided by other members. “There isn’t a single assessment – performance is reviewed across the whole year,” Bell summarises. “The pupillage committee convenes to discuss all the feedback and makes a recommendation to the board based on it.”

The final decision on tenancy won’t come as a surprise. “Feedback is almost constant,” a junior explained, “It’s a channel of dialogue between everyone. At the end of each seat, you have a review with the head of pupillage going through your supervisor’s report. They will indicate whether you’re on track for tenancy.” One recalled “I was taken out for a celebratory dinner when I was taken on, it was a nice gesture!”

The Application Process

Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. 2TG’s ‘Pupillage Selection Criteria’ is published online and so, a pupil advised, “The best thing would be to use that: treat the criteria as buzzwords for your written application and interview prep. Think about experiences and examples in your life whether it be professional, social or extracurricular and tailor working examples.” In addition, a junior offered some words of wisdom, “It’s quality over quantity when it comes to applications – think long and hard!” So absolutely no copy and pasting please!

Applications are made via the Pupillage Gateway. The first stage is a paper sift, with the set receiving over 300 candidates vying for the two pupillages on offer – although “there have been occasions with the calibre of applicants that we’ve offered more places than that,” Bell notes.During the paper sift, “We assess those forms with reference to our published criteria. As an important safeguard, two members of the pupillage committee mark each application,” Bell explains.

“We get applicants at various stages of their legal education...”

From there, the candidate pool is whittled down to around 40, who proceed to the first-round interview which is an advocacy skills-based selection exercise. “Our selection criteria emphasises the importance of advocacy. This is designed to draw out those skills without reference to legal knowledge,” Bell highlights, “We get applicants at various stages of their legal education; some may have completed their bar course some time ago and others might be applying in their second or third year of university.”

Ten to 15 candidates are invited to the final round, consisting of two parts: an unseen written exercise and final interview. Bell details, “The written exercise is designed to test a combination of analysis and written advocacy. It tends to be an advice note for a silk where you’re given the case with a specific set of facts.” Onto the interview portion candidates are presented with a legal problem (“akin to an academic legal problem”) and traditional interview questions.