Day 1 – 09/02/26
My first day began with an introduction from Jennifer who warmly welcomed us into the building and gave us a brief overview of the terminology Matrix uses which differentiate it from a traditional set. Afterwards Idris Mohamed, IT and Facilities Coordinator, showed us a tour of the buildings and introduced us to everyone at the office, which made me feel more comfortable within my surroundings.
We were then introduced to Donella Torcassi and Annika Weis in the LSS (Legal Support Team) who gave us an insight into their work within Matrix and the Bar as a whole. We discussed how to become a barrister, the difference between a barrister and solicitor, and the environment within a court. I found this extremely beneficial as a student aspiring to work in law as I now feel well-informed about the different potential pathways into a career.
After lunch, we had a finance induction with Eric Ofori- Darko who explained to us the different forms of funding – private, public, pro-bono, CFAs –, how barristers get paid. and the different transactions coming into and out of Matrix. Then, we had an informative discussion with Chris Smith, a Practice Manager, where he described his job and daily work, which involves communicating with clients and solicitors. Lastly, we completed tasks set by most of the teams we spoke to.
Day 2 – 10/02/26
On Tuesday, we spent the day observing a case in court, where Matrix member Clare Montgomery KC was representing the NGN. This particularly interested me as it was enriching to observe such a respected specialist in criminal, regulatory and fraud work in front of us. This was my first time observing a court hearing, and one aspect that surprised me was there was little discussion between barristers but rather the prosecuting barrister gives their argument, afterwards the defending barrister, and lastly the prosecuting barrister responds. At the end of the day the judge decided to reserve judgement. Furthermore, other aspects which I didn’t expect was there to be multiple judges and we heard new terminology such as “skeleton argument.”
Day 3 – 11/02/26
In the morning, we observed another case at the Royal Courts of Justice, this time involving another Matrix member. I enjoyed viewing the layout and roles present in a court room, such as the judge sitting above everyone else facing the room, then at the front are the barristers, and behind them are the solicitors. Everyone else in the court (the press, ushers, clerks, and the public) sits at the back. Afterwards, we returned to Matrix Chambers and continued set tasks which rounded off our knowledge from our experience so far and from speaking to different staff.
Day 4 – 12/02/26
On our final day we began the morning by completing a task on equality and diversity with the objective of increasing awareness about the Bar as a profession among younger generations from a wide range of backgrounds. Later, we went for a coffee with one barrister, Zoe Brereton, and one trainee barrister, Florence Powell, where we discussed their career journey and different pathways to becoming a barrister. This particularly interested me as they told us that they explored different jobs and roles in the legal sector such as a legal aid advisor before finding pupillage and training to become a barrister. I found it incredibly helpful to get a rough grasp on daily life of a barrister and to discuss the legal system as a whole, such as the criminal law delay and lack of funding. Lastly, I prepared for and completed the interview for the Matrix Future Lawyers mentoring programme which I found beneficial to aid me in future university and job interviews.
Final reflections:
Looking back, my week at Matrix Chambers was a valuable and insightful experience that gave me a first-hand look at life in a legal career. It was an immersive opportunity to engage with barristers and legal professionals, observe court cases and develop my legal research skills. I am extremely grateful to have met all the staff and to have had this experience, which has reaffirmed my interest in and ambition for the legal profession.