September 13, 2024
HUGE NEWS! Hill Twine Authorised to Offer Pupillage to Train the Barristers of Tomorrow
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HUGE NEWS! Hill Twine Authorised to Offer Pupillage to Train the Barristers of Tomorrow
Hill Twine Solicitors & Barristers is extremely proud to announce that we are now authorised to offer pupillage to aspiring barristers. After an intensive and rigorous process, the Bar Standards Board has approved our application to become an Authorised Education and Training Organisation (AETO). This is a HUGE achievement for the firm and we are delighted to form part of a very exclusive club of solicitors’ firms who are able to train barristers. All of the pupils we take on will be on track for a permanent position as an Employed Barrister, subject to successful completion of pupillage. This puts us in a very strong position to help diversify the profession, as well as providing an even high level of service to our clients. Read on to learn more.
How and Why Did Hill Twine Solicitors & Barristers Gain Authorisation to Offer Pupillage?
The entire AETO application process took over a year, from commencing the preparation of the application, to the outcome following a detailed, rigorous, and intensive assessment by the BSB to ensure the high standards set by the BSB are met.
Hill Twine Solicitors & Barristers is one of very few solicitors’ firms in the whole country that has gained the AETO status to offer pupillage. Most organisations who offer pupillage are traditional barristers’ chambers and large Government-funded organisations, such as the Crown Prosecution Service.
We went through the process because the directors, Kevin Hill and Sarah Hill, passionately believe in the importance of improving diversity within the solicitor and barrister professions. Moreover, the need to support new entrants to the Criminal Justice System is critical.
The barrister profession has long had a reputation for being elite. Pupillage is extremely competitive and the profession has been criticised for being inaccessible to many groups of people. We are trying to play our part to change that. We have also seen the decline in both those coming into criminal defence and legal aid work generally. Hill Twine Solicitors & Barristers is committed to encouraging people into the profession and providing excellent training to continue the important work of specialist criminal defence lawyers. We want to open doors to those who have the commitment and desire to succeed in a career at the Bar but who can feel like their face doesn’t fit and so they are overlooked.Both Kevin Hill and Sarah Hill have been called to the Bar and are also qualified and practising as solicitors. Kevin Hill is also a Higher Rights Advocate and regularly practises in the Crown Court (and has done for many years). Both Directors have been approved as Pupil Supervisors by the BSB.
What is an AETO?
An AETO is an organisation that has been authorised by the Bar Standards Board to train pupil barristers in their final step to becoming a qualified barrister. A pupil barrister must complete pupillage with an AETO once they have successfully completed the Bar Training Course.
The Bar Training Course (Bar Professional Training Course, previously known as the Bar Vocational Course) is a post-graduate vocational course that must be successfully completed for a student to be called to the Bar. However, only those who then go on to successfully complete pupillage can work as barristers.
What is Pupillage?
Pupillage is the final stage of the training that must be completed by an aspiring barrister prior to becoming fully qualified. Qualification gives them full rights of audience before all courts. In contrast, for the purposes of Crime, solicitors only have rights of audience in the magistrates’ court and have to attain a further qualification (Higher Rights) to enjoy full right s of audience before all courts.
Pupillage usually lasts for 12 months. During the ‘first six’ the pupil will be non-practising, gaining knowledge and skills from work-based learning and observations of their pupil supervisor and others. During the ‘second six’ the pupil will be practising, with their own case load and representing clients in court under the supervision of their pupil supervisor.
Hill Twine Solicitors’ & Barristers Pupil Training Programme
Hill Twine has an established and specialist training programme for criminal lawyers. Hill Twine has trained paralegals, police station representatives, and trainee solicitors for many years. The firm has now extended this comprehensive programme to develop pupil barristers. We are now one of the very few organisations in the country to be able to train criminal lawyers in every stage of criminal defence.
The firm will offer pupils the opportunity to train from the police station stage up. All barristers will also become duty solicitors by the end of their training. This will give them the ability to work in every area of criminal defence.
More information about the structure of pupillage and our application process can be found in our Pupillage Information: (02) Pupillage Information – Hill Twine Solicitors & Barristers.
Pupillage Vacancies
Head over to our Join Us page to see the pupillage opportunities we are currently offering. All of our pupillage opportunities are also listed on the Pupillage Gateway.
If you have any questions or need advice