Barristers' chambers
A comparison of pupillages and size at the leading barristers' sets.
Set |
Location |
Number of KCs/juniors |
Pupils per year |
Applications received |
Pupillage award |
|
If you’re wedded to the idea of handling matrimonial finance matters, then there’s nowhere better than 1 Hare Court. |
Inner Temple, London | 14/29 | 2 | 118 | £35,000 |
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A “rigorous” and “highly structured” pupillage awaits at 11KBW, whose employment and public law practices reign supreme. |
Inner Temple, London | 21/69 | 4 | 250 | £75,000 (can advance £20,000 for BPC) |
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Market-leading personal injury and clinical negligence work awaits incoming pupils at 12 KBW, but it’s also a set where members are encouraged to build out practices in new areas of interest. |
Inner Temple, London | 14/80 | 3 | c. 200 | £55,000 (can advance £10,000 for BPC) |
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The advocacy training at 2 Bedford Row is so good, it’s criminal. |
Bedford Row, London | 18/60 | 0 | 300 | £30,000 |
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This commercial set is a dab hand in insurance, offering pupils plenty of opportunities to appear in court. |
Middle Temple, London | 14/46 | 1 | 286 | £82,500 |
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Let's spill the tea on 3VB: this is a high-flying commercial set where you can get on your feet early with significant international work and a peachy culture. |
Gray's Inn, London | 33/64 | Up to 4 | Over 200 | £75,000 (can advance up to £20,000 for BPC) |
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It’s hip to be square: 4NS offers a varied commercial pupillage in a "very professional" yet "very friendly" environment. |
Lincoln's Inn, London | 33/54 | 2 | 162 | £75,000 (can advance £15,000 for postgraduate Bar course) |
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Pumped at the thought of commercial and construction law? Then pay court to 4 Pump Court. |
Middle Temple, London | 26/49 | 2 | 134 | £70,000 (can advance £25,000 for BPC) |
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4SB may be a relatively small set, but its premier commercial chancery expertise means it towers above other chambers in London. |
Lincoln's Inn, London | 9/31 | 2 | 160 | £75,000 |
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Insurance, general commercial and shipping law steer this ship, but that’s knot all it has to offer... With a “warm and supportive” culture and a right royal social life, pupillage at 7KBW is fit for a king. |
Temple, London | 25/45 | 4 | £70,000 (can advance £25,000 for BPC) | |
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If you chance upon Chancery Lane, you’ll find 39 Essex Chambers – a set that offers its pupils a whistlestop tour of civil liability, environment, commercial, and public law. |
London, Manchester, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur | 51/105 | 2 | 500 | £70,000 (including £5,000 guaranteed earnings and £15,000 BPC advance) |
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Looking to work on matters tied to major projects in industries like construction, energy and technology? Leading set Atkin Chambers is the one for you. |
Gray's Inn, London | 21/33 | 2 | Undisclosed | £72,500 |
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This heavyweight set doing “cutting edge” work on “important and influential cases” shows no sign of slowing down. |
Middle Temple, London | 59/62 | 4 | 533 | £75,000 (can advance £22,500 for BPC) |
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Brick by brick, this elite commercial set builds its expertise on a solid foundation of commercial, public and competition law. |
Essex Street, London | 48/57 | 5 | 155 | £75,000 (can advance £25,000 for BPC) |
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Interested in law that can effect positive, real-world change? Then check out Cloisters, which stands out for its employment, personal injury and clinical negligence work and is full of “exceptionally bright and kind people.” |
Middle Temple, London | 15/38 | 2 | 337 | £60,000 (can advance £15,000 for BPC) |
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Personal injury work is the jewel in this set's esteemed crown, but its insurance, civil and commercial expertise also command great respect in court. |
Inner Temple, London | 24/74 | up to 3 | Undisclosed | £75,000 + earnings retained from second six (can advance £20,000 for the BPC) |
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If you fancy a medley of tax, employment and personal injury, you better get your ducks in a Devereux to impress this discerning set. |
Inner Temple, London | 12/44 | 2 | Undisclosed | £65,000 |
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This modest-sized chambers sets itself apart with company law prowess and a “culture of togetherness.” |
Chancery Lane, London | 10/17 | 2 | 103 | £75,000 (£45,000 first six, £30,000 second six; can advance up to £20,000 for BPC) |
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Essex Court Chambers’ unique rotation system gives pupils a grand tour of the set’s esteemed practices in areas like civil fraud, international arbitration, and public international law. |
Lincoln's Inn, London | 58/42 | Up to 4 | 231 | £75,000 (can advance £20,000 for BPC) |
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Covering every corner of property law, pupils flock to Falcon to spread their wings. |
Fleet Street, London | 14/33 | 1 | Undisclosed | £75,000 |
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Personal injury and clin neg take centre stage at this advocacy-loving common law set, alongside a supporting cast of employment, insurance and health & safety capabilities. |
Inner Temple, London | 7/45 | 2 | Undisclosed | £27,500 + £27,500 guaranteed earnings (can advance up to £10,000 for BPC) |
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Simply put, Fountain Court is a titan of the Commercial Bar, navigating "some of the highest-end, most cutting-edge cases" out there. |
Middle Temple, London | 43 | 60 | 151 | £80,000 |
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FTB's expertise in planning, environmental and licensing allows its pupils to gain "a really firm grasp on a specific area of law.” |
Inner Temple, London | 22/36 | 2 | 55 | £75,000 (can advance £25,000 for BPC) + £15,000 guaranteed earnings (for pupillage commencing in 2024) |
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The recently rebranded Gatehouse Chambers pairs commercial expertise with "a progressive outlook that matches the century we live in." |
Gray's Inn, London | 11/94 | 2 | Undisclosed | £70,000 (offers BPC advance) |
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Hailsham is on hand to help in cases of clinical and professional negligence. |
Inner Temple, London | 11/46 | Usually 2 (there were no vacancies in 2022) | Undisclosed | £60,000 + £5,000 guaranteed earnings |
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How about “homely” Henderson? A set known for its product liability prowess with growing expertise in group litigation. |
Inner Temple, London | 17/37 | 2 | 100+ | £70,000 (can advance £20,000 for BPC) |
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With construction and commercial work at its core, budding barristers at Keating can really build a name for themselves. |
Essex Street, London | 31/37 | 3 | Undisclosed | £75,000 (can advance £25,000 for the Bar training course) |
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Aspiring barristers who want to make their mark in areas such as planning, property and public law should land at this set. |
London (Fleet Street) | 38/64 | 3 | c.300 | £75,000 (can advance £30,000 for BPC) |
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If it’s a specialist employment, commercial and sport set you’re after, come a Littleton closer… |
Inner Temple, London | 16/36 | 2 | 156 | £67,500 |
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This top commercial Chancery set offers pupils "astonishing feedback" and a colourful social scene. |
Lincoln's Inn, London | 24/45 | 3 | 150 | £65,000 in 2022/£70,000 in 2023 (can advance £20,000 for BPC) |
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Human rights and public law cases are “the common thread” tying together a spread of practices at this sprightly set. |
Gray's Inn, London | 43/60 | 2 | 300 | £50,000 (can advance £10,000 for BPTC) |
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Monckton members sit atop the European, procurement, and competition pile, but pupils can get access to a broader commercial offering to boot. |
Gray's Inn, London | 21/44 | 1 | c.150 | £75,000 (can advance £20,000 for BPC) |
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Want a set that feels and operates more like a law firm? No5 has a network of offices, “modern policies” and a superb reputation in various practices at the Bar. |
Birmingham, Bristol, Leicester, London | 36/219 | 6 | 229 | £55,000 (BPC advance available upon request) |
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One Essex Court is a titan in commercial law with a distinctly progressive culture. |
Middle Temple, London | 50/66 | up to 5 | Undisclosed | £75,000 (can advance £25,000 for BPC) |
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There’s nothing Outer-the-ordinary going on at this high-flying set: it continues to demonstrate its capacious expertise across the spheres of health and business law. |
London (Strand) | 26/64 | 3 | c. 300 | £70,000 |
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Stacks of tax: pupils here navigate this niche world alongside “the best in the business.” |
Bedford Row, London | 12/21 | 2 | 73 | £67,500 (can advance £25,000 for BPC) |
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Quadrant has kept its chambers in ship-shape condition, with rising revenues and an increasing focus on banking and energy matters driving it forward. |
Fleet Street, London | 26/43 | 3 | Undisclosed | £75,000 (can advance £25,000 for BPC) |
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For a firm family focus and a close-knit culture, QEB is the place to be. |
Middle Temple, London | 7/31 | 2 | 178 | £35,000 |
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Traditional and commercial chancery work combine at this esteemed set, which offers second-to-none experience in charities matters, as well as a deep dive into insolvency, professional negligence and real estate cases. |
Lincoln's Inn, London | 13/52 | 2 | 191 | £65,000 |
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Surly silks? Not a chance at this high-flying commercial chancery set. |
Lincoln's Inn, London | 27/45 | up to 3 | 103 | £75,000 (can advance up to £25,000 for BPC) |
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When the cold winds of insolvency loom, try migrating South – to South Square. |
Gray's Inn, London | 17/29 | 2 | 185 | £75,000 ( can advance £20,000 for BPC) |
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These stars in the South West lead the pack in matters of personal injury, clinical negligence, family, commercial, and Chancery law. |
Bristol | 6/85 | 3 | 138 | £50,000 |
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With tip-top specialist pupillages in areas like commercial and family, why not let St Philips be the patron saint of your journey to the Bar in the Midlands? |
Birmingham, Leeds | 17/131 | 5 | 163 | £50,000 |
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Real estate expertise and an added pupillage vacancy make Tanfield hot property. |
High Holborn, London | 7/45 | 3 | Undisclosed | £60,000, of which half is guaranteed earnings in the second six (can advance £15,000 for BPC) |
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If you’re looking for commercial work in a growing set with a presence in Asia, The Only Way is (Twenty) Essex. |
London, Singapore | 31/53 | 4 | 65 | £75,000 (can advance £25,000 for BPC) |
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Wilberforce offers its tenants a compelling mix of chancery and commercial law. |
Lincoln's Inn, London | 37/47 | 4 | 145 | £75,000 (can advance £30,000 for BPC) |
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This heavyweight chancery set offers incomers a tailored pupillage where “the major emphasis is on training and learning.” |
Lincoln's Inn, London | 10/38 | 3 | 239 | £67,500 (can advance £16,250 for BPC) |