The deadline for OLPAS applications is looming and I'm stumped as to what to say on the 150-word 'career motivation' bit of the form asking why I want to become a barrister.
I'm really keen to become a commercial barrister - I've done the research and the mini-pupillages and am even more keen as a result. But do chambers want to hear about my passion for justice, or my passion for helping clients win a contract dispute? Does anyone have any tips as to what to say?
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I'm still at the early stages of retraining into law so please take my comments with a pinch of salt. But for what its worth, having done some mini-pupillages, I have the following observations... 1. Authenticity and personal integrity are key to succeeding at the Bar. 2. Pupillage panels are really good at working out what you are about. I would say therefore that you should talk with passion about all those things that really inspire and motivate you, whatever they are. Any disingenuous sentiment will be picked up on, for sure. Remember that interviews are two-way streets and that if you don't give them the opportunity to select the Real You then getting an unsuitable pupillage may leave you worse off than not getting one at all.
Add the prefix 'de Lacy' to your surname, then go off on one about being educated and disliking football.
Whatever you do, don't label a shark a hamster.
They will want to know that you have a liking for black clothes, wigs, having your holiday cancelled by scruffy herberts who rule your diary and the pencil-gnawing uncertainty of being self-employed.
Joking apart, they may want to be assured that you can put up with hard graft without complaint, have a strong enough character not to be crushed by disappointments, take an enthusiastic interest in the academic fine points of law and above law, are likely to be a good person to work with.
My wife is a barrister and I did the BVC and completed this form but never got an interview from it. For what it's worth, I think they are more interested in what you have done with your life and how that might assist your choice of career rather than your love of the law in 150 words or less. It's pretty hard to sell a love of commercial law (unlike human rights or some other feelgood area). Unless you have some "commercial" experience which triggered an interest in commercial law, they'll probably realise that you're in it for the money. No worries there, so are they! If you have a strong 2.1 or first in commercial subjects you can say this and say that you have an aptitude for it. Also, its good to have the ability to analyse docs quickly. Give an example. Finally, don't forget that you must be a confident advocate. Good luck. The Bar is not an easy route.
The two suggestions I'd make are: (1) be succinct and structured. Better to be short and pithy than trite and waffly. And (2) avoid the general and focus on the particular. Identify one or two specific features whcih appeal - recent cases that chambers has done/a speciifc bit of law which they do. So avoid things like saying you have a "passion for" whatever, because that is meaningless.
they want that guy from the Apprentice...........no, really!
They want to be reminded how they knew your father and which Oxbridge college you went to.
More seriously, what they want to hear about is your intellectual capability and your ability to apply reasoning to complex factual areas and reach clear coherent conclusions.
Mooting is always a good one, because it shows a desire at least to learn about arguing law while on your feet.
As somone who reads these forms, echoing previous comments: be clear, concise and honest. Don't make up "passion" - nobody is really "passionate" about commercial law - we do it because it is varied, interesting, often challenging and well paid.
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