Crucible Pupillage Blog - Evie Snow.

Welcome to our first pupillage blog of 2026. Our two wonderful pupils, Evie Snow and Shifra Moriarty, have now completed their first three months with Chambers and are well on their way towards getting on their feet for Second Six. Today we bring you Evie's first update. Shifra's update will follow tomorrow.

Evie Snow - The First Three Months

Had you told me in a year ago in January 2025 that just 5 months later, I’d be receiving a phone call from Head of Pupillage Laura Bayley welcoming me to Crucible I’d have laughed you out of the door. And yet here I am, heading into 2026 after a jam-packed start to pupillage.

Crucible’s warm and modern approach to pupillage is one of the aspects that most attracted me when applying and it is heartening to see how every member of chambers truly embodies these values.

My current pupil supervisor is Oli Renton, whose practice is predominantly criminal defence work. With Oli I have seen a wide range of cases, including a drugs trial involving a Modern Slavery defence, sexual assault trial, and an inquest into a death in prison.

That isn’t all though; Oli is fantastic at cherry-picking the most interesting and useful things going on across chambers and giving me opportunities to get an even broader range of experience with other members of chambers. These cases have ranged from a high-level drugs conspiracy with Clea Topolski KC, to a rape trial with Dr Justin Yang and a s20 GBH with Kathleen Mulhern. I’ve also spent time with Victoria Taylor and Christopher Bealey in the Magistrates’ Courts which has been a great introduction to the unique delights that await me once I am on my feet.

I’ve learnt a huge amount already. What has stood out to me is how individual each barrister’s approach is. Seeing how different people tackle a problem, manage vulnerable clients, or the multitude of courtroom styles has helped me understand there is no single right way to be a barrister. As someone with a rather circuitous route to the Bar, this was something I have found particularly reassuring.

Alongside days in court, I’ve worked on research pieces, a submission of no case to answer, an application to vacate plea and an advice on sentence. This has improved my research and written advocacy skills. We’ve also started our chambers advocacy sessions, testing out our skills in bail applications, application to dismiss, and even trying our hands at speeches.

It still doesn’t quite feel real – I do have to pinch myself almost every day – but I’m excited to see what the next three months bring!