5RB - 12 Months - October 2022
5RB is the leading set of specialist media and communications law barristers. We are seeking to recruit a pupil to start a 12-month pupillage with us commencing in October 2022, with a view to tenancy.
5RB specialises in all areas of media and communications law: primarily defamation, privacy and confidence, data protection and information law, harassment, contempt of court and reporting restrictions. We are the only chambers to specialise exclusively in this fascinating area. Our members act for both claimants and defendants and provide advice and representation to the press, television, radio, books and online publishers, as well as to individuals, businesses and not-for-profit entities.
Our members are regularly instructed in the most high-profile and groundbreaking cases, recent examples of which include the Johnny Depp libel trial, the Duchess of Sussex’ privacy and copyright claim, the Morrisons data breach claim, the ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel claim, the ongoing phone hacking litigation, and the Supreme Court decisions on serious harm to reputation (Lachaux v Independent & Evening Standard) and the public interest defence to defamation (Serafin v Malkiewicz).
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate very high intellectual ability, usually via academic achievement, and excellent interpersonal and advocacy skills (written and oral). We look for applicants with an aptitude for, and an interest in, practice as a barrister in our specialist areas; but prior knowledge of the law in these areas is not a requirement.
Pupils at 5RB benefit from spending periods with four different pupil supervisors, to see a variety of styles and receive expert tuition in practice in media and communications law, including advocacy. We see pupillage very much as a learning experience rather than a gruelling examination, although pupils will of course need to demonstrate a sufficiently high level of ability during the year to be taken on as a tenant. The vast majority of our pupils in the past decade have been recruited as tenants.
The pupillage will carry an award of £40,000. We would expect a first-year tenant's earnings to significantly exceed this level.
The following questions will form the Pupillage Application Questionnaire section
of the application form for this pupillage vacancy. These are included here to allow
you to prepare in advance.
- Why do you believe you will make an excellent barrister? In your answer, please identify any relevant experiences and skills that you believe will help you in your career. (300 words)
- Why do you want to join our chambers? In your answer, please explain why you are interested in our areas of practice. (300 words)
- Should social media platforms be obliged to block, or remove, anti-vaccine content? (300 words)
To apply, please click on the Apply Online link below and then complete the online application form.