Junior barrister Ayeesha Bhutta on paranoia, photocopying and appearing in the High Court at 30 minutes’ notice
During the Bar Vocational Course (BVC), pupillage is the Holy Grail: all are searching for it, many are unsuccessful, some give up in despair and a handful doubt the existence of pupillages at all. According to the Bar Council statistics, of the 1,425 who completed the BVC in 2006-07, 527 went on to start a pupillage. This figure fell to 417 in 2007-08. The 25% or so who get a pupillage begin an experience that is akin to walking across a tightrope backwards while blindfolded.
