39 Essex Chambers
39 Essex Chambers is a long-established civil set. It currently has 158 members, including 57 KCs. Chambers has 24 members on the Attorney General’s Panels for civil litigation. It prides itself on its friendly, supportive and professional atmosphere, and the high standard of its clerking and administrative support services. It was described by Chambers UK as “home to some extraordinarily bright people.” Within Chambers, members work very hard; however, they also pride themselves on having a thriving, cohesive and inclusive social life including regular lunches and breakfasts in Chambers. 39 Essex Chambers values are excellence, innovation and inclusion; Chambers strives to be an equal opportunities employer and is committed to diversity amongst its staff and members.
• Commercial Law: Commercial regulation; construction and engineering; corporate restructuring; costs; employment; insurance and reinsurance; media, entertainment and sports; oil, gas and utilities; financial services; project finance; energy
• Costs & Litigation Funding
• Civil Liability: Clinical negligence; health and safety; insurance; material loss claims; personal injury; product liability; professional negligence; sports injuries; toxic torts
• Planning, Environmental & Property: Aviation; compulsory purchase; contaminated land; environmental civil liability; environmental regulation; international environmental law; licensing; marine environment; planning; nuisance; rating
• Administrative & Public Law: Central and local government; European law; human rights; judicial review; mental health and community care; inquests; parliamentary; cost and funding and public affairs
• Regulatory & Disciplinary: Medical; legal; social care and education; financial services; broadcasting, communications and media; sport; transport; health and safety; building and housing; local government standards; licensing
Chambers awards up to three 12-month pupillages a year. During the pupillage year, each pupil will rotate between four seats, covering a broad range of Chambers’ work. The pupils will also do two assessed pieces of written work for other members of Chambers and receive training in, and assessment of, advocacy. Pupils work between 9:00am and 6:00pm, Monday to Friday with no late nights or weekend work expected. Time is given for preparing own work and in the second six months pupils can expect to go to Court a number of times a month. Chambers has an excellent record of recruiting its own pupils as successful junior tenants.
Mini-pupillage is not a prerequisite for pupillage but we encourage those intending to seek pupillage to apply for mini-pupillage if they can. There are limited places available. Our new scheme consists of a day of talks and activities for mini-pupils (two dates are available). Applicants should have completed, begun or be just about to begin the final year of an undergraduate law degree or, if you did not complete an undergraduate degree in law, the final year of a master’s degree in law or the final year of a Graduate Diploma in Law. Applications open in late September/early October; check Chambers’ website and follow Chambers on social media for details and updates to the timetable.
The pupillage award is currently £70,000 of which £5,000 will be by way of guaranteed earnings in the second six, payable in equal monthly instalments across the twelve-month pupillage. Earnings for your own work in the second six months is additional to this award (above the £5,000 minimum). Up to £15,000 of the £70,000 award may be drawn down in advance over the BPTC year and/or for relevant postgraduate study in the year before commencement of pupillage (payable in monthly instalments and with pro rata reductions during the pupillage year). Awards and offers are all conditional upon satisfactory completion of the academic and vocational stages of training.