Quadrant Chambers - True Picture

Quadrant Chambers pupillage review 2025  

The Chambers

Those who binged Greys Anatomy or just really listened in Biology class will understand the key role the heart plays in keeping a vessel running. And for this particular barristerial vessel, chief operating officer Sarah Longden gives a hint to the driving force at its core: “Shipping is at the heart of Quadrant.”  Deputy senior clerk Daniel Westerman further explains, “We are a specialist litigation and arbitration chambers with heavy expertise in sector areas.”  50% of the work that flows through this set’s veins is centred around shipping, with a large percentage also in aviation and commodities. The remainder is spread between banking & finance, insolvency, insurance and other broad commercial disputes. According to Chambers Bar UK,  its shipping & commodities work continues to maintain its top ranks year on year, with travel and aviation receiving high recognition too!

“Shipping is the heart of Quadrant.”

A recent notable shipping matter saw Simon Rainey KC represent the owners of the X-Press Pearl, a container ship, regarding a $250 million claim arising from a fire which led to the sinking of the vessel near Sri Lanka. The case made headlines due to the environmental disaster it caused, including fishing damage to the coastline. Taking to the skies, John Kimbell KC represented a military pilot and their family regarding a fatal accident claim brought when the pilot lost their life in an air crash in Italy. The case raised issues around the safety of the aircraft.

The set’s plan for growth continues to be at the forefront of its movement. Westerman tells us, “For several years, our marketing strategy has incorporated a regional focus, including in Birmingham and Manchester. As a result, our commercial litigation practice has expanded too.” The firm has also felt the effects of geopolitical events from around the world. “The Russia and Ukraine conflict has seen a spike in both our insurance and international trade work due to the problems occurring in the Red Sea. This is core work for us, so these events have a large impact on our practice,”  Westerman adds.

The Pupillage Experience

Pupils sit in three seats during which they shadow their supervisor. There is a possibility that, if business needs permit, pupils will be paired up with a second supervisor too. A pupil noted the benefit of this was “having another pair of eyes looking over you work and giving feedback.”  Pupils share an office with their supervisor during their seats (even if there are two!) which was received rather well: “There is always someone to ask questions to!” Throughout pupillage, pupils can get involved in both dead and lives cases. “The mix of both is good because they are so different, but you wouldn’t know that unless you have experienced both,” said a pupil, “I’m now feeling well prepared for tenancy!”

During the beginning months, pupils can expect to get involved in a wide range of work: “I started out in commodities, general commercial fraud and banking alongside the expected shipping, which took up the majority of my time.” As pupils work directly with their supervisors, one told us, “When my supervisor was in court, so was I – which was quite often by the way!” While shadowing, a pupil highlighted, “I saw a real variety of arbitration cases, so I was really lucky.”  When not in court, juniors noted that they worked on things like applications to the Supreme Court and strikeout for conspiracy. “It was so exciting to see my name on the application,” a junior tenant reminisced. The second six won’t see pupils get on their feet, but upon securing tenancy, they will be expected to attend court on their own.

There are six assessments over a nine-month period leading up to the tenancy decision. These are typically three written and three oral exercises. Supervisor feedback from each of the pupil’s seats and the outcome of the assessments are then submitted to the pupillage committee for a decision. “The decision depends mostly on supervisor feedback, so if you have been given the thumbs up from your three supervisors, the overwhelming likelihood is that you will be taken on,” explains Chris Smith KC, Quadrant’s head of pupillage, “The assessments are an important puzzle piece in understanding where an individual is separately from their supervisor feedback and provides additional material on which to assess candidates if it is needed.” Once the pupillage committee has put their votes in, the news is delivered in person to the pupil.

“There’s always something social going on…”

Turning to hours, pupils are usually clocked in from 9am to 6.30pm. Tight turnarounds can see pupils working a little longer, though it’s important to note this isn’t the norm: “I did receive a live case one evening that had to be researched for the next day before trial, but the hours weren’t hard,” a pupil told us, “You aren’t pressured to work long hours.” Pupils are in-person in chambers more often than not, which bodes well for the set’s social calendar. “There’s always something social going on,” said a tenant, “It could be going to get a poke bowl for lunch with my supervisors, or going to the pub on a Thursday or Friday after work.” We also heard the set organises a weekend at a silk’s residence. “There is training together but also a meal and catching up in a more relaxed environment,” explained a junior.

The Application Process

Quadrant makes use of the Pupillage Gateway system for initial applications. The application includes the standard questions that applicants would expect, but Quadrant also pushes some more “tweaked” questions to help them understand the applicant more. “The legal problems we give applicants  are general in nature and aren’t too focused on the specific areas of law we do,” explained Smith, “The questions are more to give candidates a chance to shine and start to show off their strengths.” Quadrant generally receives around 150 applicants, all of whom undergo multiple sifting processes to ensure they are qualified for the role. The set continues to use Rare’s Contextual Recruitment System, which flags candidates who have achieved higher academic achievement than their school average.

30 to 40 successful candidates advance to the first interview stage. Interviewees are asked to arrive 30 minutes beforehand where they will receive a short legal problem to solve ahead of the interview. “The questions are on a fairly common-sense basis,” Smith reassures, “We just want to see how the candidates interpret the questions and think on their feet.” A panel comprising of a few members of the pupillage committee will also ask other general questions around the candidate’s CV. The candidate is then scored, and the top 15 scorers are invited back for the next stage.

The final interview is approximately 40 minutes long – almost three times as long as the first stage. The reason behind it? “The intention behind the interview is to understand the candidate more to see their suitability for pupillage,” explains Smith. Candidates can be asked questions about their CV, “not to throw them off but just loosen them up when they may be a little nervous,” he adds. The candidate is given a one-to-two-page text and is expected to answer a one-page ethical question. At the end of it all, three pupillage spots are up for grabs.

“We don’t look for any specific traits..."

When it comes down to decision time, aside from stellar academics, Smith tells us, “We don’t look for any specific traits. All of our current pupils are all so different; they can all just communicate with clarity really well.” A junior seconded this, adding, “On the surface, we are all on different careers and paths, but it is our differences that we bring to the set that makes us strong.”