We’re delighted to hear that Nick, who spent a week with us in 2007 starts his pupillage in October. Here’s his story: “I spent a week at Matrix in November 2007. I applied for the work experience placement because I wanted to see what life was like as a practising barrister in a top London set, and I was not disappointed. I got to see pretty much every aspect of life at the Bar – from oral advocacy in the RCJ, to some of the more behind-the-scenes work in the practice room. The whole experience was fantastic, but by far the most rewarding part was the opportunity to speak with the practising members of Matrix. I can still remember speaking with one of the trainees (now a full member at Matrix) about how she had come to the Bar – she had done a postgraduate degree and various other jobs before qualifying as a barrister, and advised me to take some time after university to gain some non-academic experience before committing to joining the Bar. That advice was invaluable – so many students now launch themselves into trying to become a barrister immediately after finishing university, and as a result miss out on experiences like working, volunteering or even taking a gap year, which can actually be really useful when deciding whether a career at the Bar, and in which area of practice, is really for you. I completed my university education in 2010, and shortly afterwards moved to London to begin work at the Law Commission as a research assistant in the property, family and trust law team. In October 2013 I’ll start pupillage at a Commercial Chancery set in London.” We wish Nick all the best in his journey through the profession.
