Types of chambers

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There are many different kinds of barristers' chambers. Where you train has a significant influence on your career, as the style, size and clientele of each chambers will vary. Consider the following broad categories to establish which type of set might best match your career goals and working style.

Central London: commercial sets

Just as the solicitors' profession has a 'magic circle' of law firms, so too does London's commercial Bar.

Central London: public law sets

Public law can take many forms, from statutory appeals, public inquiries, disciplinary proceedings to public procurement, environmental issues and discrimination law. The public law Bar is an exciting and wide-ranging space.

Central London: common law sets

If you’re seeking a wide-ranging pupillage with ample court time and a chance to earn your own fees during the second six, then the common law Bar will suit you well.

Central London: crime sets

Motoring offences, juvenile misdemeanours, gruesome murders, child abuse, terrorism, white-collar fraud, regulatory breaches – crime sets handle just about every kind of violation you might imagine.   

Regional Bar: supersets and beyond

According to Bar Council statistics, just over half of chambers in England and Wales are located outside London, and just over one-third of all barristers in private practice work from within them. On LawCareers.Net, we have 192 chambers offering pupillage and nearly 60 of these are outside London.

Public sector pupillages

Both the Crown Prosecution Service and the Government Legal Service offer pupillages leading to permanent roles with fixed salaries, holiday and sickness pay, pensions and all the usual employment protection rights. 

Use the LawCareers.Net advanced pupillage search to look at different types of set in different locations.