Littleton Chambers - True Picture

Littleton Chambers pupillage review 2025

The Chambers

Sometimes you just can’t explain chemistry. Whether it’s a person, a place, or even your work, For Littleton and its employment practice, it is something of a match made in heaven. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a bigger name in the industry amongst the fight for equal pay at work, and the biggest sporting scandals. Described by chambers director Liz Dux as a “medium-sized” set, Littleton notably “specialises in employment – particularly on the business protection side – commercial litigation, civil fraud, and sport.” While many a pupil arrive in pursuit of exactly that, these Inner Temple barristers also firmly engage in commercial disputes (particularly civil fraud) in addition to matters in sports law, which has become a burgeoning practice at the set. Littleton picks up accolades in all three as per the Chambers UK Barguide, so Dux was onto something when claiming “we’re at the top of our game in all these areas.” She adds that this refined focus forms a core part of the set’s identity in that “we don’t try to cover too wide a spectrum of disciplines.”

“We’ve grown our other peripheral areas like sports and investigations…”

Dux explains that the focus of the three is “employment around 60%, commercial 30%, and sports about 10%.” Describing the set’s growth pattern in a little more detail, she explains that “we’ve actually become slightly less reliant on employment over the years as we’ve grown our commercial profile.” To make that possible, “we’ve grown our other peripheral areas like sports and investigations,” as “our overall aim is to eventually balance our practices 50/50.” Whilst the set’s main areas seem relatively distinct from each other, it goes without saying that all practices at Littleton synergistically linked. Dux keenly emphasises the point that “all our areas of work function together synergistically” and that “we are very focused in our core areas of expertise.” Illustrating the natural cross-over between Littleton’s sport and employment practices for instance, Paul Gilroy KC acted for the Scottish Women’s National Football Team in Employment Tribunal proceedings against the Scottish FA. The players sought to gain equal pay in addition to equal treatment on training facilities, hotels, travel, kit, and medical resources. Though the set partakes in very little direct access work, the solicitor client base on the employment side is comprised of the likes of Keystone, CM Murray, and Fox, while the respondent side sees Littleton working in conjunction with Herbert Smith Freehills, Allen & Overy, and Hogan Lovells. Over in the employment arena too, David Reade KC recently represented a group of Morrison’s workers in their claim alleging pay discrimination at the supermarket chain by comparison to male workers.

The Pupillage Experience

“The supervisor I was sitting with is one of the pioneers of the English bar for commercial employment in the Middle East…”

Rotating every three months, pupils at Littleton sit with four supervisors throughout the course of pupillage, which head of pupillage Dale Martin KC explains will offer “a mix of practice areas and mix in seniority” in order “to reflect the diversity” of the set. The first six predominantly consists of work for your supervisor as Littleton merely “wants you to settle in,” one junior explained that “you’ll cover the expected standard documents like pleadings and skeletons.” It’s “just about getting the basic stuff under your belt” they added, and “that the progression of work will obviously continue.” As one pupil recalled, “the supervisor I was sitting with is one of the pioneers of the English bar for commercial employment in the Middle East” – and “so I did a bit of that!” Supervisor work continues into pupils’ second six with a sprinkling of endeavours for other members of chambers spicing things up a little. “That can be quite challenging” warned a pupil, before adding that “because Littleton is one of the top chambers in the country, it’s going to be challenging!” Matters tended to be self-contained and often consisted of discreet tasks and opinions, while typical hours comprised of a standard 9am to 5 or 6pm.

Assessment starts in the very first seat and pupils complete four formal advocacy assessments and two written assessments throughout the course of the nine months. As one pupil laid out, “the first advocacy assessment is at the end of your first seat” which “you present with a co-pupil.” These increase in frequency, so “you start getting more assessments into the second seat.” In fact, compared to just the one advocacy assessment in the first seat, pupils undertake three in the second – two written and one oral. While pupils tackle the final flurry of assessment in their third seat, one interviewee put our minds at ease. “If you don’t get the mark at the beginning, it’s ok” they explained. That’s because “they just want to see progression.” Of course, “you’ll be pretty tired at the end!” they added, “but you’ll get your supervisor reports, they’ll see how you fit into chambers, and combined with your marks from centralised assessments and work with silks,” a decision will be reached. The whole affair was said to be a “transparent process” by pupils and juniors alike, and pupils receive feedback throughout to know of their general working trajectory.

“It’s one of my most cherished memories.”

Martin explains that in order to make the tenancy decision process fair, “we make sure that the people voting– the members of chambers – have as much evidence as possible.” Once a decisionhas been reached, pupils are told personally. “It was just the most magical moment for me!” recalled one pupil when they were told of their success. They added that “it’ll be one of the best moments of your life because you worked so hard -I was absolutely ecstatic when they told me.” With celebrations fully in order, one pupil explained how “everyone would celebrate together, open up the champagne and everyone was saying they were delighted for me.” Offering a word of advice, we heard “it can be a stressful time because you’re being assessed a lot, but it’s important to remember to be yourself.” While the work is obviously important, “they also care about your personality and how you get along with people.”

On that note, our sources felt that the set’s culture was clear from the every-day interactions with its members. “People are very often quite happy to go out for lunch or just grab a coffee and have a chat,” expressed one pupil. Martin himself notes that it is a “warm and welcoming set.” He continues, “I would count half my closest friends as colleagues and I actually think that’s quite common here.” In fact, “people go on holiday with each other!” Martin adds that “we don’t have a high staff turnover or a high turnover of tenants.” He believes that “helps foster a more collegiate and supportive environment over the longer term, enabling us to do our jobs better, earn more money, and to have a better professional profile, but also to make us happier in our day-to-day lives.” Though the standout event appeared to be the “chambers lunch organised each month on our outside terrace.” One pupil explained, “on a Wednesday once a month, they organise nice lunches with different cuisines each time” including Lebanese and Greek! 

The Application Process

Beginning with Pupillage Gateway, Martin explains that “the first stage is people sticking us down on the list of chambers they want to apply to.” At this early stage, the set typically receives around 200 applications, before the number is whittled down to about 35 ahead of the first round of interviews. The set offers a mini-pupillage which Martin describes as “possibly more action-packed than you might find at competitor sets,” as it consists of a “very interactive two-day session that involves an element of both written and oral assessment.” It also gives candidates “an opportunity to talk to people of varying seniority levels at chambers and ask any questions they may have.”

Taking the mini-pupillage as an unofficial second round of interviews, the third and final round involves a panel of four asking for legal analysis “with some other questions thrown in on top.” Martin continues that “last year we had nine candidates at the final interview stage,” but “it can be as many as twelve.” Littleton will then contact the lucky few, choosing to stay in touch with its offerees throughout. Martin explains, “we like to keep contact throughout the application process all the way up to our acceptance” as “we see it as continuing an established relationship.” He reflects that “back in my day you just got this offer thrown at you and then you didn’t hear back from the set again until the October after next!” Thankfully, Martin adds, “it’s all a lot more collegiate now.” As a word of advice for those making it to the final stages of interview: “be prepared, know your contractual principles, and just be ready to produce something you’ve really thought about in depth. They don’t want to see superficial analysis.”

“It’s no good being a brain on a stick!”

If there was one defining character trait shared by the set’s members, it’d be that “we’re a very attractive bunch!” Martin laughs. But in all seriousness, he adds “there honestly is no chambers type. But I do think that one thing that separates us from others is not just what the directories say about us and the work we do, but rather it’s our approachability and reliability.” Offering insight into the type of person the set looks to recruit, Martin explains, “I think over the years we’ve come to appreciate that yes we are right to insist on academic excellence and the ability to communicate, but that it’s also very important that people have business development skills and ease of dealing with people that will enable them to build practices and maintain relationships in the longer term.” That’s because “it’s no good being a brain on a stick!”

Seeking to pave the way for the next generation, one pupil offered some advice for navigating the process. First of all, “what matters is you have a good application form and that you have solid reasons as to why you want to become a barrister.” Ultimately, “trust your gut” Martin adds, when it comes to choosing a set, as “you’re going to be at these places for an awfully long time!”