Crucible Pupil Diary: Update 5.

Welcome to our fifth update from two first six pupils, Liam Chin and Camila Ferraro. We hope that this will prove useful to all of those hoping to secure pupillage, and to anyone who wants to find out a little more about life at the Bar. Liam and Camila will be on their feet from 3 April. If you would like to instruct them please do contact our clerks on clerks@crucible.law or 020 7031 5310

Liam Chin

This is my final blog before I get on my feet. I have written in my previous blogs that I have been feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement about being on my feet. I can honestly say now that the overriding feeling is that of excitement. It is everything I have worked toward for years. In under a month, I will be representing my own clients. The nerves are still there, enough to keep me hungry and on my toes, but I am no longer petrified about the prospect. The reason for this is incredible training I have received.

I remind myself of something I read on Chambers’ website before applying to Crucible. “We take care in selecting our pupils as we aim to invest significant time and expertise in them with a view to them becoming tenants.” Crucible have unequivocally kept that promise. Ben Rowe, head of advocacy, and Clea Topolski, head of pupillage, have delivered a training programme that means we are extremely well prepared for our next chapter.

Every member of Chambers has been involved in our training, including Head of Chambers Neil Hawes KC. All giving up their precious time, purely for our benefit. We have worked our way through every element of a Crown Court trial, and more recently we have focused on the types of cases we will encounter in the near future.

The training is tough, challenging, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I have lost sleep over some of my performances. However, two recent events made me realise just how good our training has been. First, responding to an application for an NMC Interim Order in Chambers, something I had no experience of, or had ever seen. Secondly, finding out on the morning of a mock trial that I had to do an examination in chief, a cross examination, and a closing speech, none of which I had prepared. In October I would have found the above incredibly stressful and have panicked my way through substandard submissions. However, I was able to draw on the knowledge and experience I have gained and successfully navigate my way through every piece of advocacy.

One of the biggest developments I have noticed in myself was when Ben asked me to do some legal research for a case he was working on. After my research I told Ben I wanted to write an opinion. Ben said it wasn’t necessary and to just send him the caselaw. I told him I would do that, but write the opinion anyway as I thought it would be extremely beneficial to both our professional and lay clients. It was then that I realised, our learning hasn’t been confined to every Wednesday night in Chambers, or the questions our supervisors ask us when talking about the case, or even the advocacy we watch daily. We are now doing things, not because we are told to. But because by watching our mentors we have developed the Crucible mindset, that we go above and beyond for our clients.

Camila Farraro 

The start of this month saw the end of the murder trial before the Common Sergeant of London at the Old Bailey. Nothing can quite compare to the nervous feeling of being called back to court as the jury had finished their deliberations. We paced back to court to hear the verdict. The atmosphere was palpable as the forewoman stood to say, 'Not Guilty’. It was a truly memorable moment.

For the past three weeks, I have attended a fraud trial at Southwark Crown Court. I have enjoyed learning about how the Financial Conduct Authority conducts its investigations and how counsel analyses high volumes of evidence to ‘follow the money’. I have also undertaken research for various members of chambers. This includes researching defences under provisions in the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, recent case law on Article 3 and 8 ECHR for an extradition appeal, and varying a sentence outside of the relevant time limit in a POCA case.

 Advocacy sessions have been focused on the type of work we will be doing in second six. We have been tasked with delivering a mock first appearance, special measures application, exceptional hardship submissions as well as an interim order application in regulatory proceedings. Chambers has also asked us what topics we would like to have covered in our final sessions before April. I am very grateful to be at such a supportive set and cannot wait to be on my feet next month.