Bar training courses

Complete an undergraduate degree in law (LLB), or an undergraduate degree in any other subject followed by a conversion course, such as the Graduate Diploma in Law. This must include the seven foundations of legal knowledge.

Complete a bar training course

The course must include knowledge and skills training and be taken with an authorised provider such as Manchester Met.

Join one of the four Inns of Court

This must be completed at least twelve weeks prior to commencing your bar training course. These are:

• ​​​​​Gray’s Inn
• Inner Temple
• Lincoln’s Inn
• Middle Temple

Complete ten qualifying sessions with your Inn of Court

These might include:

• residential training weekends
• skills-based workshops
• online seminars
• attending lectures followed by formal dinners with barristers and judges

Qualifying sessions must cover five themes, including advocacy skills and preparation for pupillage. At least two sessions must be interactive and require preparation in advance.

Once you’ve successfully completed the vocational component, your Inn will ‘call you to the bar’

You must be called to the bar in order to complete the pupillage and work-based learning component of training.

Spend one year as a pupil

You’ll complete a non-practicing period, known as the first six, and practicing period, the second six, in either:

• a barristers’ chambers
• an authorised education and training organisation such as the Crown Prosecution Service

Choose your career path

Once you’ve successfully completed pupillage, you can apply for tenancy and become a junior barrister in chambers.

As your career progresses you might also choose to:

• become self-employed
• join an in-house legal services department in commercial companies or public sector organisations