A week in the life of a family law Pupil Barrister at Unit Chambers

Starting my pupillage journey in family law

Over the last 2 months, I have been fortunate enough to have started my pupillage with Unit Chambers, absorbing a huge amount of knowledge and gaining hands-on insight into life at the Bar. Day-to-day, I’ve been travelling all over the Northwest, gradually ticking off court centres and observing a wide variety of cases across financial remedy, private and public children law. 

Learning from my Pupil Supervisor

I’ve spent most of my time shadowing my pupil supervisor, Lisa Edmunds, whose wide-ranging practice has given me exposure to every stage of proceedings. I’ve been included in email chains with solicitors, opposition counsel, clients and even judges. This has helped me build a strong understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in preparing a case. I’ve had access to all the case papers, giving me the opportunity to practice working through bundles, identify key documents and develop effective ways of preparing. I have also been drafting orders, position statements and chronologies all of which further my understanding and learning. 

Observing courtroom advocacy and soft skills

Once in court, pupillage means listening carefully, not just to the hearing, but to the conversations Lisa has with clients, instructing solicitors and opposing counsel. Understanding the reasoning behind these discussions has been incredibly valuable and I’m constantly making notes to reflect on later, especially when updating my pupillage diary.  

Learning from Lisa isn’t just about legal principles and how to apply them, it’s also about observing how she handles challenging situations and navigates different client personalities. These soft skills are what I also hope to develop and carry into my own future practice. 

Gaining insights from other members of chambers

Beyond working with Lisa, I’ve also spent time with other members of Unit Chambers. Having the opportunity to see someone else’s approach to a case or how they handle their workload allows for me to assess how best to make my practice work for me. Seeing different drafting styles has deepened my understanding of both essential techniques and individual preferences. 

Balancing workload and personal development

One of the key challenges I’ve encountered during pupillage is learning how to best allocate my time, particularly when deciding where to focus my initial efforts. Whether this is starting by reading the bundle, brief to counsel, or client’s position statement. Fortunately, a few weeks ago we had a talk from one of our door tenants about preparing cases and I found it hugely insightful of where best to start, specifically for public law proceedings. Striking the right balance has not only been important for my professional development but also in managing my personal life and maintaining a consistent exercise routine. These are all areas I recognise as ongoing challenges and I am certain I will refine them throughout the rest of my pupillage and in practice.  

Understanding judicial styles and courtroom dynamics

Something I’ve found particularly interesting is how much a case can be shaped by the judge involved, whether that is knowing their courtroom preferences, how hands-on they are during a hearing or whether they prefer to keep their views to themselves. Building a working knowledge of as many judges in the Northwest as possible in the first six has helped the thought of my second six feel much less daunting. 

Building confidence and support networks

On a personal level, I’ve also grown a lot in the past two months. Regular check-ins with Lisa and my co-pupil James have been really grounding. It’s been helpful to track our progress together and know we’re not alone in how we are feeling day-to-day. I imagine pupillage without a co-pupil could feel quite daunting and overwhelming.

Developing my knowledge of family law

Coming into pupillage, I didn’t have a huge amount of practical experience in family law. I had completed one module at university, with the rest of my exposure coming through mini-pupillages and marshalling. I’ve taken a slow, steady approach to learning, setting time aside to work through legislation and applying it to real cases I’m seeing in court. The progress I’ve made already has given me a solid foundation to build on and I feel a lot more confident in discussions about different topics.

Looking ahead: Growth and belonging at Unit Chambers

From day one, I have felt right at home at Unit Chambers, having had a warm welcome by every member and knowing I can go to any of them with any issues I may have. I’m excited to continue developing both professionally and personally as I progress through pupillage and beyond.

Written by Lara Webber, Pupil Barrister at Unit Chambers.