I was Called in 1980. I came in the top 1% in Bar Finals and was offered 2 tenancies. But I’m aware that nowadays law students ask for “the model answer” to exam questions. That’s now how practice works and so it isn’t a viable way to train barristers either.

As that person now perhaps 40 your junior, what is a decent set?

I know that the range of answers to that question are myriad, but what are the sort of top four or five markers that make a good set different to a weak set?

As that person now perhaps 40 your junior, what is a decent set?

I know that the range of answers to that question are myriad, but what are the sort of top four or five markers that make a good set different to a weak set?

As a top-rate taxpayer it sounds great that the work is moving to cheaper alternatives.

That’s something I’ve really noticed on the NPP courses. The criminal contingent are now doing work far more advanced than we would have done at a similar call. They are all doing regular crown court jury work. The mags stuff is being left for the pupils and very early call.

They are all very capable of doing this of course; standards are just so high now. But it is concerning that they are being offered RASSO work at this stage of their careers. But there are so few experienced counsel willing to take that on now.

When I was a pupil and a junior tenant there was not enough work to go around in some areas of law.

We would be left with “clear” days in the diary.

Now there is so much work and not enough counsel to do it that pupils are doing lots of work and work that is beyond their year of call.

The upshot of this is that their earnings should be a lot higher, in real terms, than they were in decades past.