5 Pump Court x The Sutton Trust: 2025
In May each year, we run a work experience scheme as part of the Sutton Trust’s Pathways to Law scheme. From 28 – 30 May, we were delighted to welcome the 2025 cohort to Chambers for three days.
The students are all in Y12 and considering law as a career. Pathways to Law is a completely free programme (including travel) and provides support in accessing higher education, training in soft skills, and understanding careers in law with incredible work experience opportunities.
We started the experience with an introduction to the English legal system, and a wander around the Temple and Royal Courts of Justice. We talked about the various branches of the profession, the routes to qualification, and encourage students to consider their strengths and where they might best fit into the justice system. In the afternoon, Eoin O'Sullivan gave an insight into his route to the Bar and what he loves about being a barrister, and Alex Ferrigno ran an advocacy exercise introducing students to the art of cross examination and getting them to have a go!
We had an early start to the next day, arriving at the Old Bailey at 9am. We met with Judge Khan KC who gave the students some insight into her route to the Bar and to the judiciary, and answered their questions. We then had a tour of the building with Jay Patel, the fantastic Outreach Officer, with the extra drama of seeing a defendant arrive for trial with a helicopter escort, and 5 police vans closing the road outside. We were lucky enough to be taken into Court 1, the most famous criminal court in the country, to learn about the layout of the courts and the role of everyone in the courtroom. We then sat in the public gallery for the rest of the morning observing the questioning of a defendant in a murder trial.
That afternoon, back in Chambers, we ran two exercises: firstly a negotiation where students had to agree Heads of Terms for a commercial contact, and secondly a mediation where two of the students acted as mediators, trying to resolve a dispute between the other three. In both exercises, the creative problem solving on display was brilliant and some interesting solutions were found to the issues.
On the final day, Kate Smith ran another advocacy exercise based on a interim care order application, with the students preparing their submissions based on a case study. They were also visited by Ben Pitman who took part in Pathways to Law as a student and was able to pass on his experience. We had lunch at Middle Temple Hall, which is a spectacular location and we were able to talk about the Inns and the support provided to students and those hoping to access a career at the Bar.
During the afternoon, they were due to undertake a criminal exercise relating to pleas in mitigation by Helena Khullar. However, and in the best traditions of the Bar, Helena was unexpectedly called into court and so we returned to the Old Bailey. Seeing barristers in action is always a real highlight, and the students were really interested in the case and the evidence being given.
On our return to Temple, we went into Middle Temple to take some photos and were lucky enough to be given a tour of some of the downstairs rooms. The students were especially pleased to see the portraits of Jekyll and Hyde as most of them had read the book for GCSE English!
We are very proud of our partnership with the Sutton Trust, and the opportunities we are able to offer students over the course of the three days they are with us. They are bright, motivated and it is always really good to see them come out of their shells over the course of the three days and to get engaged in the activities. The feedback we receive is always good, and one student this year described the whole experience as ‘a joy’! We very much hope to see applications for pupillage arriving from our students in the years to come.
If anyone would like to set up a similar scheme, please contact our Chambers Director Clare Kelly. We have lots of suggestions for running this type of scheme, mock exercises and are happy to collaborate with other sets if that makes it easier.