Diary: Life as a Crucible Pupil - Month 2.

Welcome to the second monthly update from two new 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 Chin.

I cannot believe that it has been a month since I last wrote. Pupillage seems to be flying by, and I am acutely aware that second six will be here in no time. It is undoubtedly a scary prospect, being on my feet in April. However, I do take comfort in how well chambers is preparing us for that inevitability.

In November we began our chambers advocacy program. Camila and I are presenting a case from start to finish, a real case which was previously won by a member of chambers, Libby. So far, we have completed bad character applications in the form of skeleton arguments and oral submissions, moved on to examination in chief and then cross examination of several witnesses.

What is it like? I won’t sugar coat it; it is one of the most nerve-wracking things I have done, and a huge step up from Bar school. No longer are the witnesses and audience your classmates, they are senior members of chambers. No longer is the judge your tutor, again, they are a senior member of chambers.

Someone recently asked me what chambers advocacy is like. I liken it very much to my early days as a rugby player, breaking through from junior to senior rugby when I would train with the first team. I knew the basics; I’d worked hard to get to where I was. Yet every Tuesday and Thursday night I would leave the training pitch battered and bruised, my inadequacies well and truly exploited. The experience was brutal, but I was never downtrodden, I was more excited. The tips, the tricks, the words of wisdom were abundant, never delivered with malice or to put you down, but with a nurturing tone. Everyone wanted you to be better, individually, and as part of their team, because you were viewed as the future, their investment.

That is exactly how I feel in chambers. I relish every single piece of feedback and opportunity I am afforded, as I yearn to become as good as those imparting the advice. So, when I watch Oli standing in the Court of Appeal offering flawless submissions without so much as a glance at his notes. Tasmin effortlessly eliciting minute detail in the examination in chief of her defendant, leading to his acquittal, or Martin Goudie KC present the most thorough sentencing note I have ever seen; I can’t help but feel so fortunate that I have a front row seat to the best classroom in the world.

It may all sound very heavy and hard going, but I feel I should complete the full picture. This month Camila and I have attended the chambers birthday party, where we had the chance to meet some of our amazing instructing solicitors in a nice informal environment with cocktails.

We were taken out for dinner and a trip to the theatre with many members of chambers, organised by Briony and Rosalia.

All in all, I feel, nurtured, positive, and am enjoying every minute of this journey.

Camila Ferraro.

It has been another exciting month of steep learning. I have joined members of chambers in extradition, crime and regulatory hearings and observed an inquest for the first time. It has been great to see the breadth of work available at Crucible while learning from such brilliant advocates. I have also been given my first noting brief – the only paid work pupils can undertake during their first six. Over two weeks, I took a note of a complex multi-handed Crown Court trial involving charges of GBH and perverting the course of justice.

We have started our Chambers’ advocacy programme. From the outset, we were introduced to a mock case based on a real Crown Court trial. The programme is structured with different members of chambers attend the weekly sessions to assess our performance. So far, we have presented an opening speech, made an application to exclude bad character evidence, examined-in-chief, and cross-examined various witnesses. We are always provided with detailed and encouraging feedback. Chambers realises just how nerve-wracking these sessions can be, so we are invited for drinks afterwards to chat to them in a more informal setting.

Outside of court, I joined my supervisor at an event held by the Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association and learnt about the interesting work available in this field.

Chambers invited us to join them for dinner near the Southbank, followed by a short walk to the National Theatre to watch The Crucible – a terrific play. We also attended Crucible’s Anniversary Party, where we were introduced to instructing solicitors from a range of law firms. It was a delightful evening with live music, food and cocktails.