South Square recruits up to three high calibre pupils a year with a strong academic record and the potential to become an outstanding commercial barrister. The minimum academic qualification is a 2:1 degree.
Pupils are selected from a broad range of backgrounds and experience, whether recent university graduates or those seeking a second career at the Bar. A number of our members have degrees in law, some have taken non-law degrees and then sat the CPE/GDL, and others have started their career in another sector before becoming a barrister.
Equality, diversity, and inclusion are extremely important to the members and staff of South Square. Our Pupillage Committee, and Diversity and Inclusion Officers, work closely with external organisations including the Bar Council, COMBAR’s Social Mobility programme, 10,000 Black Interns, the Black Talent Charter, the Women in Law Pledge, and Rare Recruitment, ensuring we remain at the forefront of developments in fair recruitment, diversity and inclusion, wellbeing, and the fair allocation of work.
Financial Planning
At South Square, junior tenants can expect to earn materially in excess of their pupillage award in their first year. As a broad guide, average income during the first 12 months of practice exceeds £150,000, for the second year of tenancy exceeds £250,000, and in the third year exceeds £300,000 (in many cases by a considerable margin).
Chambers also offers interest-free loans up to £25,000 to new tenants to assist with any early cash flow concerns. The loan is repayable over the first 24 months of tenancy.
Tenants are not required to pay rent for their room during the first 15 months of tenancy and they are exempt receipts charge for their first 6 months.
Please apply for pupillage through the Pupillage Gateway
- What we offer
- Who we are
- What we do
- Funding & Benefits
- How to apply
There are several opportunities on offer at South Square throughout the year.
South Square is a highly respected and successful commercial set involved in complex and high-profile international and domestic commercial litigation.
Our members are recognised as leaders in their fields in all the key legal directories and have acted in some of the most important commercial cases of the last decade – including Lehman Brothers, MF Global, Madoff, Northern Rock, Formula One and the LIBOR litigation.
South Square’s work is mainly focussed on financial and banking issues. We are the market leader for restructuring and insolvency, and widely recognised for our work in banking and finance litigation. Members also specialise in commercial litigation, company law and fraud related disputes.
South Square’s work has a significant offshore focus, and members regularly appear in the courts and tribunals of international jurisdictions, notably the Cayman Islands, British Virgin Islands, Bermuda, Dubai, Hong Kong and Singapore.
OUR PRACTICE AREAS
- Banking & Finance Litigation
- Insolvency & Restructuring
- Civil Fraud
- Company Law
- Commercial Litigation
We also have expertise in Sport, Arbitration and Mediation and work across many sectors including banking, financial services, insurance, oil and gas, government and regulation, mining, manufacturing, shipping and retail.
Pupils receive awards of £80,000 per annum (reviewed annually). £20,000 of the pupillage award may be paid in advance for living expenses during the BPTC. As a junior tenant you would receive a number of benefits including: subsidised travel and conference fees; no rental charge during your first 15 months of tenancy and no receipts charge for the first 6 months; subsidised membership of key professional associations for the first 2 years; and assistance and training in financial planning and business development.
If you are applying for the one year pupillage please apply through the pupillage gateway
If you are applying for a funded or unfunded mini-pupillage please send us your CV and a covering letter stating which pupillage programme you are applying for to pupillage@southsquare.com
If you have any questions or concerns about the application process, please contact pupillage@southsquare.com
3-4 South Square
Gray's Inn
London WC1R 5HP
+44 (0)20 7696 9900
pupillage@southsquare.com
CHAMBERS & PARTNERS“Members with unrivalled talent… Excellent in everything they do.”
The Lawyer“The magic circle’s barristers chambers of choice”
Legal 500“The best set at the Bar for insolvency.”
Legal 500“South Square provides ‘a world-class service’.”
CHAMBERS & PARTNERS“An excellent set at the forefront of the London Bar.”
CHAMBERS & PARTNERS“Incredible members at the top of their game.”
CHAMBERS & PARTNERS“An unrivalled collection of the best talents currently at the Bar”
Contact us
If you wish to consider engaging any member or associate member of South Square as an arbitrator or mediator or as Counsel in an arbitration or mediation, please contact Practice_Managers@southsquare.com
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