A day in the life of a pupil barrister
Joseph Chivayo
My journey into law has been far from conventional. When I was a young lad, I thought by the time I reach 40 I should be a successful hotelier. I worked hard to make that happen – I even studied a Master of Arts in hospitality management at the University of Birmingham but, as people say, ‘life happened’ and, to make a long story short, I ended up studying Law. As I turn 40 this year, I reflect on how each experience has built up to this moment. I joined the Public Defender Service for pupillage in September 2024. The first six months of pupillage are considered a non-practicing period, working under the guidance of my pupillage supervisor Mr Mark Phillips. My ‘first six’ involved shadowing experienced advocates in the magistrates and Crown court.
I’m now in my ‘second six’ (practicing period) and every day is different. There is no typical day, but I try and maintain certain things regardless of what’s happening. I am an early riser and early sleeper, so my alarm goes off at 0445hrs and I’m in bed by 2100hrs on most days during the week. I start the day by thanking God for giving me another day. When I’m working from home I will go to the gym or walk for 60 minutes. However, due to the level of travel I might have to skip the gym and go straight to the train station when working elsewhere. When I have a few cases in Manchester I tend to stay over due to the long travel distance from home.
All our instructions come through our clerks. They are very good at considering our diary commitments and negotiating fees. In some cases, I have my brief well in advance so I know what I’m doing on that particular day, but in some cases instructions may land in my inbox late afternoon or early morning. A brief is instructions from solicitors to conduct a case. Once I’ve received the brief, I will read the papers. Depending on what I am trying to achieve I review all the evidence and be clear in my case theory. I always consider if I was writing an advice on this case what are the key points I need to highlight.
At 0930 I’m in court and ready to have my conference with my client. I tend to inform the prosecution and court clerks that I’ve arrived and finalising my case. After a conference with the client, I inform the court that we are ready. Recently I dealt with theft from a shop at Manchester Magistrates’ court. Unfortunately, my client had a damning record for shop thefts and this recent one was committed a few days after being released from prison. This was a first appearance and sentencing hearing before a District Judge who is a qualified lawyer who sits alone in the magistrate’s court as opposed to a bench of lay members of the public known as Justices of the Peace or Magistrates.
After this case I then made my way to Wigan for a breach of bail hearing. My client was on court bail for a Crown Court case and one of his bail conditions was living and sleeping at the address provided to the court, but on this day my client was not at his home address. When I arrived at court I spoke to probation and the prosecutor as well as the court usher and clerk. I then had a conference with my client to get instructions. I managed to get my client out of prison and back on bail. After court I had another conference with the client to explain everything and to call the solicitors and inform them of the outcome. I then wrote an attendance note highlighting key points for the file.
Once that’s all done, I consider my cases for the next day and I will work on those cases in preparation for the next day. After work I tend to go for another walk. This is a very important part of the day because it allows me to switch off and reset. If I am working away from home and once I am back at my accommodation I have a zoom call with the family. Sometimes we speak for hours or watch something together. Sometimes we cook together because I enjoy cooking. I’m very conscious that our children will grow way to quickly and due to working away I must be present as much as possible even if it means being present virtually. In this line of work, it can be difficult to switch off especially when a brief arrives late or a challenging point needs untangling. This may mean working late into the night or early morning. It’s important to be fully prepared and work to get the best outcome for my clients.
I’m grateful that the Public Defender Service (Legal Aid Agency, (LAA)) offers flexible working and fully understands and appreciates my family commitments. I have 3 months left on my second six, after which I must apply for a permanent post. I hope this article gives you a brief insight of what my day looks like and perhaps sheds light on life as a pupil barrister within the Public Defender Service.
