The Newsletter

My Learned Friends™

The journey to becoming a barrister is as demanding as it is rewarding. From mastering the Bar course to navigating the highly competitive pupillage process, aspiring barristers are expected to develop not only legal knowledge but also advocacy skills, resilience, and strategic thinking.

That's why we've launched My Learned Friends™ — a newsletter dedicated to helping aspiring barristers excel at every stage of their journey.

Subscribe Now See What's Inside

By the Bar, for the Bar

A compilation of real insights from aspiring, pupil and qualified barristers

Whether you're just starting out or deep into your applications, My Learned Friends™ aims to provide insights you can actually use — not just theory, but actionable advice grounded in real expectations of the Bar.

What You'll Get

Inside every issue

Eight focus areas that map directly to the moments that decide a career at the Bar.

Life & Current Affairs at the Bar

What's happening across chambers, the courts and the wider profession — and what it means for you.

Pre-Bar Course Preparations

How to set yourself up before you set foot on the Bar course — reading, mindset and admin.

Succeeding on the Bar Course

Tactics that actually move the needle on assessments, advocacy and exams.

Developing Strong Advocacy Skills

Practical drills, structures and feedback loops to sharpen your courtcraft.

Bar-Relevant Legal Experience

How to build the kind of experience chambers actually look for on application forms.

Preparing for Pupillage Cycles

Application strategy, written exercises, interview rounds and timing your year.

Securing Pupillage Offers

What separates the candidates who convert interviews into offers.

Life Post-Pupillage

What to expect once you're tenanted — workload, work types and progression.

Why subscribe

Serious insights for future barristers.

If you're serious about building a career at the Bar, we invite you to subscribe. Each issue is written and curated to give you a real edge — at every stage.

Actionable advice — not generic theory
Insights from people currently in the process
Practical breakdowns of applications, interviews and assessments
A clearer view of what chambers actually expect