Call for feedback: Moving the Pupillage Gateway timetable

In 2016, a working group was set up to look at the issue of the Gateway timetable, and an evidence-gathering exercise on the timetable was run which proposed the current timetable. This was implemented in 2017.

The working group concluded:

“that it would be beneficial to encourage earlier pupillage selection and that the main tool for doing so is the Pupillage Gateway. The Gateway timetable currently runs from the end of April (closing date for pupillage applications) to August (acceptance of offers), so that, for example, an undergraduate law student can apply in April of their third year for a pupillage commencing in the September/October of the following year. We suggest that that recruitment is done between January and April, rather than between April and August. This will have four main impacts:

• It should avoid the clashes between interviews and exams and/or dissertation deadlines which are a feature of the current timetable.
• It will allow pre-BPTC candidates to know the outcome of the pupillage round before they commit to the BPTC.
• It will bring the timetable closer in line with those ATOs [the previous name for AETOs] which currently recruit outside of the Gateway and make it difficult for non-Gateway chambers to recruit earlier in the academic year. This makes it much less likely that candidates will be made offers in advance of Pupillage Gateway offers.
• Because the Gateway timetable will operate at a similar time to non-Gateway ATOs, there will be a reduction in the “information premium” available to well-connected candidates, who are currently more likely to be aware of the early pupillage application deadlines for non-Gateway ATOs and therefore in a better position to make applications to ATOs doing privately funded work and offering large pupillage awards.

We have considered whether the Pupillage Gateway timetable should be brought even earlier, into the Autumn term, consistently with the earliest applications for training contracts. However, we do not consider this would be beneficial as it would be particularly difficult for GDL students to be ready to make pupillage applications at this stage.”

At present, the timetable currently runs from the end of November (when advertisements are published) to the beginning of May (when offers are made). A version of the existing timetable can be found on the Pupillage Gateway website.

The current timetable has now been in place for five years, and issues have been raised with the Bar Council Services Team relating to its location in the context of candidates’ academic year and AETOs’ financial or business year. In particular:

• There are concerns that there are several clashes with vocational component exams and undergraduate dissertations during the months of March and/or April, which makes it difficult for AETOs to arrange, and candidates to attend, pupillage interviews. These clashes are compounded by the Easter holidays.
• Students who are accepted onto the vocational component course of their choice are often asked to pay a deposit in advance (typically in April), before the conclusion of the timetable. Students may make different decisions as to whether to commit to the course – and its high expense – if they have not secured a pupillage place that year.

It should be noted that under paragraph 13 of Part 4C of the Bar Qualification Manual, any changes to the Pupillage Gateway timetable will ultimately be subject to the approval of the Bar Standards Board upon application by the Bar Council following the completion of an Equality Impact Assessment.

Whether the timetable is mandatory is a matter for the Bar Standards Board and is not under consideration through this consultation.

We have considered multiple, and ultimately set out two, possible options for consideration.

Option 1

The timetable remains as it is, with advertisements being published at the end of November, applications opening in early January, closing in early February, and offers being made in early May. You can find an outline of the 2021/22 timetable on the Pupillage Gateway website.

Option 2

The Bar Council moves the Pupillage Gateway timetable. Under the new scheme, applications would open in late November, close in early to mid-January, and offers would be made in April. The number of days for AETOs to shortlist and interview would only reduce by one, and the application window would also be extended, giving students more time to apply. Please see below for a broad outline for this option.

Late October
Publication of advertisements on the Pupillage Gateway: Applicants may access the Pupillage Gateway to browse approved vacancy advertisements.

Late November
Applications open: the submissions window for applications opens and candidates can start to create, edit, and submit their applications with their chosen pupillage providers.

Early to mid-January
Applications close: the submissions window for applications closes and no further applications or amendments to applications are allowed.

January to April
Shortlisting and interviews: AETOs sift through applications, shortlist candidates and conduct interviews during this period.

Early April
Offers made: AETOs will make first offers and notify their reserve and unsuccessful (following final round interviews) candidates of their respective statuses on this date.