by Simon Myerson QC | Oct 25, 2010 | Humour, No Pupillage, Qualities Required
I know that this may not be timely for OLPAS but I thought you might like to think about what not to write on an application form or covering letter. This was prompted by a random sampling of this year’s offerings (I have nothing to do with pupillage at my...
by Simon Myerson QC | Jul 23, 2010 | Humour, Life at the Bar
We haven’t had anything that passes as humour for a while. This is nothing to do with the merits of your case, but it is to do with getting a good result and being thought of as a coming young thing. The Magistrates Court. Distinguish between lay Magistrates and...
by Simon Myerson QC | Jul 5, 2010 | This Blog
I toyed with the idea of calling this post ‘Wall of Shame Redux’ and inviting posts on the topic of interviews and feedback, rather than the accusations which have bedevilled the last post. However, I thought I ought to make my position clear where it can...
by Simon Myerson QC | Oct 29, 2009 | Life at the Bar, Qualities Required, Tenancy
On with the way to climb the greasy pole… Thirdly, front it up. Every so often there is a piece of evidence or information which is damning. The Judge peers at you and says pleasantly, ‘But if this is right then it poses a significant problem for you Mr...
by Simon Myerson QC | Oct 25, 2009 | Life at the Bar, The Future
The internal ladder: possibly the only ladder you have to climb of whose existence you are ignorant. You might have thought that this job was easy. You get a pupillage, a tenancy, your clerks get you work, you do the work well, professional success is yours. Well, up...
by Simon Myerson QC | Sep 23, 2009 | Life at the Bar, Tenancy, The Future
Congratulations. You have made it, you are through the door, your feet are under the table, your head is in the clouds, your eyes are gazing on a distant future and your ears are burning. Now what? There are two traditional matters to concentrate on, and one brand new...
by Simon Myerson QC | Sep 17, 2009 | Interviews, No Pupillage, Qualities Required
Firstly, a hello to new readers. Thanks to WordPress’s monitoring tools (not quite CCTV in everyone else’s computer, but close) I can tell that some of the older posts are getting a lot of attention. Presumably, therefore, a new generation is gearing up...
by Simon Myerson QC | Sep 6, 2009 | The Future
As the recession comes to an (apparent, so we are told) end, we find ourselves in interesting times. Perhaps the most pressing question for readers of this blog is how the need to repay the mortgage we took out over our own future will impact upon legal services. This...
by Simon Myerson QC | Aug 17, 2009 | Further Degrees, No Pupillage, The BPTC
Below is an email (published with the writer’s permission), which reflects a not uncommon problem. A selection of interviews pre BVC, which suggests that there is a reasonable chance of an eventual offer, but the prospect of a post BVC year to fill before...
by Simon Myerson QC | Jul 20, 2009 | Interviews, Routes to the Bar
I have been wondering what Chambers could do to improve the process of applying. Firstly, they could make clear what they are looking for and how they assess it. If you apply for a Recordership or for Silk you are given a list of ‘competencies’ you have to...
