Case studies : Barrister: Christopher Loxton

Christopher completed a BSc Politics and Philosophy (Joint Honours) from the University of Bristol. He then took the Graduate Diploma in Law conversion course and the one-year Bar Professional Training Course, both at the College of Law in London. He now works as a barrister at the Chambers of Lawrence Power...

To gain practical experience of the Bar I undertook short periods of work experience at barristers' chambers called 'mini-pupillages'. They give you a brief introduction into what being a barrister entails as you typically shadow two or three barristers during the week or fortnight.

Obtaining paralegal positions in law firms, law centres or legal charities is essential these days in gaining employment as a barrister (or a solicitor for that matter). I worked as a paralegal in a solicitors' firm in their family law department and also as a paralegal to a barrister who was involved in a public inquiry.

I'd also highly recommend obtaining shadowing experience with judges, be it in the county court, the magistrates' court, the Crown Court or even the High Court. This is known as 'marshalling'.

In my experience relatively few people take this opportunity and yet it provides a unique view of what it's like to be a barrister as you get to sit alongside the judge and observe advocates presenting their clients' cases. You can then hear in private which advocate the judge found more persuasive and why.

In terms of applying, a covering letter addressed to the clerk/manager of the court, or if you know the judge's name to him/her directly, explaining why you wish to take up this opportunity, together with your CV should be sufficient.

My undergraduate degree, particularly philosophy, was relevant to my current role in the sense of being able to deconstruct arguments and to evaluate different perspectives. If your job is to argue a case, even one you don't necessarily agree with, you have to be able to try and see a topic from all angles.

This doesn't mean you have to study a subject like philosophy. Many people who come to the Bar have done degrees in subjects as varied as music, languages and the sciences. You will, however, be one step ahead if you participate in debating or mooting (legal debating), political or campaigning societies at university. The job is about putting forward a persuasive argument in a formal setting so the earlier you gain experience of this, the better you'll be at doing it and of improving your chances of becoming a barrister.

It's clichéd but there isn't really a typical day as a barrister. For me, one day might entail defending a client faced with a serious criminal charge, the next seeking a commercial settlement in a contractual dispute, and the next cross-examining witnesses in an employment discrimination claim. I enjoy the variety of the work, the clients and the court settings. I also enjoy the independence of being self-employed.

Undoubtedly, the most challenging part of my job is being on the losing side of a case and having to explain to a disappointed client why they didn't end up the victor. There are also not infrequent times of 'burning the midnight oil' finishing written opinions, legal documents or submissions for court.

I know it goes without saying, but I cannot emphasise enough how important it is to try and get top marks at both undergraduate and graduate level. If you work hard to obtain a good degree class then you will have a much better chance at gaining scholarships to cover the course fees that providers of the law conversion and/or bar training courses charge; of obtaining valuable work experience; and, ultimately, of obtaining employment at the Bar.

Lastly, do not give up. I was a beneficiary of not giving up when faced with rejection letter after rejection letter and I believe I speak for most. At the risk of sounding hackneyed: if at first you don't succeed, try, try again.