Student & Pupil Membership

GUIDE FOR STUDENT MEMBERS

Preliminary

  1. The Chancery Bar Association desires to: (i) improve its student outreach and to promote the specific work of the chancery bar and (ii) widen access more generally for the most capable students to join the Chancery Bar.
  2. Accordingly, in 2023 the members of the Chancery Bar Association resolved to create a new category of “Student Member”. Consequently, new provisions in the rules of the Association provide (amongst other things) that:
    1. Student Members shall be admitted to membership of the Chancery Bar Association without charge; and
    2. Student Members shall be permitted
      1. to attend such Chancery Bar Association events
      2. on such terms as
      3. (in either case) the Committee of the Chancery Bar Association shall, from time to time and in its absolute discretion, determine;
    3. Student Members shall provide the Secretary of the Chancery Bar Association with a current email address and shall notify the Secretary forthwith upon commencement of tenancy or employment as an employed barrister.
  3. To this end, using the Chancery Bar Association’s existing academic and other contacts, a separate dedicated email list of potential Student Members is being set up to enable the Association to target eligible students for: (a) existing Chancery Bar Association events to which it is suitable that they should be invited  (see items 13 and 14) and (b) some bespoke events catering specifically for the student market.

The Student Membership Criteria

  1. Student Members must be: (i) an undergraduate or have commenced a postgraduate degree, in either case at a university in the United Kingdom; or (ii) have commenced a law conversion course at an institution in England & Wales; or (iii) have commenced the BPTC or equivalent course for training for call to the Bar of England & Wales at an institution within that jurisdiction; or (iv) been accepted as a pupil barrister.
  2. Student Members should have a specific interest in the work of the Chancery Bar in England and Wales although it is not necessary for student members to have formed any definite intention to join the Chancery Bar. In the Association’s rules, Chancery work means (in summary) work that is commonly or traditionally undertaken in the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice and such other contentious and non-contentious work which is of a type commonly or traditionally undertaken by members of the Chancery Bar. An indicative list is attached to this guide as Appendix 1.
  3. It is not necessary for Student Members to be studying law and the Chancery Bar Association welcomes those who are studying or intending to study other disciplines provided they have the specific interest identified above.
  4. Student membership is not automatic; as indicated above, an application must be approved by the Committee of the Chancery Bar Association.
  5. Student Members will automatically cease to be Student Members on the earliest of: (i) the conclusion of their pupillage; (ii) the commencement of employment as an employed barrister; (iii) the seventh anniversary of admission to Student Membership or (iv) a resolution under rule 16 (expulsion).

Student Members

  1. Student Members of the Chancery Bar Association, like all other members, are obliged to promote the objects of the Chancery Bar Association and must behave in a way which is consistent with those objects.
  2. Student Members must at all times behave professionally and consistently with the values of the Bar of England & Wales. Student Members must not discriminate in any way on the grounds of race, colour, ethnic or national origin, nationality, citizenship, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership status, disability, age, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief and the Chancery Bar Association will not tolerate any form of bullying or harassment.
  3. Student Members of the Chancery Bar Association must not promote or advertise their membership of the Chancery Bar Association in any social or other media including in any publications. Student membership may, however, be included in CVs and applications for pupillage and scholarship applications to an Inn of Court.
  4. The Committee of the Chancery Bar Association has the power, exercisable in its absolute discretion to expel any Student Member.

Benefits of membership

  1. Student members shall be sent by email notice of such events which they may attend remotely, free of charge together with such other events and on such terms as may be specifically prescribed by the Committee of the Chancery Bar Association.  Such events are likely to comprise only the online seminars and lectures held by the Chancery Bar Association.
  2. For the avoidance of doubt, Student Members will not be eligible to attend the AGM nor in-person seminars and events without prior approval from the Committee. If an event is open to pupils, Student Members who are undertaking pupillage will be eligible to attend.

How to Apply

  1. Applications for student membership should be made by via the website - please see below. Applications should be accompanied by an up-to-date CV and include a declaration by the student that they fulfil the eligibility criteria in paragraphs 7 and 8 of this Guide.

Click here if you are ready to apply for student membership.