Training contract vs pupillage: the difference between solicitor and barrister routes in England and Wales

If you are considering a career in law, one of your first choices will be between becoming a solicitor or a barrister. These are fundamentally different paths with different training routes. A solicitor completes a training contract; a barrister completes pupillage. Understanding the difference between these two routes is essential for making an informed decision about your legal career.

The short version

A training contract is the practical training route for becoming a solicitor. It lasts two years and is spent working in a law firm, usually under a training principal. You are employed by the firm and receive a salary.

A pupillage is the practical training route for becoming a barrister. It lasts one year (split into two six-month periods, called the first six and second six) and is spent training under an experienced barrister in a shared office, called a set of chambers. You are not an employee; you are a trainee barrister, and you may receive a pupil award rather than a salary (though this varies).

Both routes follow completion of the academic stage (a law degree or a conversion course) and the Professional Practice Course or other vocational training. Since 2021, both solicitors and barristers have faced changes to their training frameworks, with the move toward the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE) for solicitors.

At a glance

What a training contract is

A training contract is a two-year period of paid employment in a law firm where a newly qualified law graduate learns the practical skills of being a solicitor. During this time, you are an employee of the firm, subject to the firm's policies and procedures, and you receive a salary.

The training contract is divided into a series of seats, typically lasting four to six months each. Each seat involves working in a different department of the firm (such as corporate, litigation, property, employment, or tax), so that you experience the breadth of the firm's practice. This rotation system means that you gain exposure to different areas of law and develop a broad understanding of how a solicitor works.

Under the newer SQE pathway (introduced in 2021), the training contract is now called Qualifying Work Experience (QWE). You must complete at least two years of recognised work experience, but this need not all be in a single firm. You could, for example, spend one year with a law firm and one year with an in-house legal team at a corporation. This flexibility is a significant change from the old Law Practice Course (LPC) system.

During your training contract, you will have a training principal (a qualified solicitor responsible for your development) and a mentor. You are required to complete a range of practical activities and case studies to demonstrate competence in key areas: legal research, legal writing, advocacy, client interviewing, case and matter management, and acting within professional regulatory frameworks.

Training contracts are typically only available in England and Wales law firms. The largest firms (the so-called magic circle firms like Freshfields, Slaughter and May, and Clifford Chance) are highly competitive and often receive thousands of applications for dozens of places each year. Smaller firms and regional firms may have less competition but may offer lower salaries.

How to get a training contract or QWE placement

The traditional route to a training contract was to apply to law firms during your second year of a law degree or your law conversion course. Most training contracts start in September, but some firms recruit on rolling deadlines or open recruitment rounds.

The application process typically involves:

1. Online application to the firm's graduate recruitment scheme, including a CV, cover letter, and answers to specific questions about why you want to train at that firm.

2. Aptitude tests such as verbal reasoning, numerical reasoning, and logical reasoning assessments (firms like Kroll or SHL conduct these).

3. First-round interview (often conducted by phone or video) where you discuss your motivation and relevant experience.

4. Assessment day (for larger firms) involving further tests, case study exercises, and interviews with current trainees and partners.

5. Final interview with a partner or head of graduate recruitment.

Larger firms often recruit two or three years in advance. Some firms open applications to non-law graduates and career-changers, though you may still need to complete a law degree or conversion course first.

Since the introduction of the SQE, the picture has shifted. Some firms now recruit for QWE placements with greater flexibility in timing and duration. You may be able to negotiate a placement that suits your circumstances, rather than being locked into the rigid September start date of the traditional training contract.

If you are a career-changer or someone without a law degree, you can still obtain a training contract or QWE placement. You will need to complete a law degree or a law conversion course first (typically a Graduate Diploma in Law). Some universities offer accelerated conversion courses lasting just four months, though these are demanding.

What pupillage is

Pupillage is the practical training route for becoming a barrister. It lasts one year and consists of two six-month periods: the first six and the second six.

During the first six, you are attached to an experienced barrister (your pupil supervisor) in a set of chambers. You shadow your supervisor, observing their work, attending court, and learning how to conduct a legal practice. You do not conduct your own cases during the first six; instead, you learn the mechanics of practice. You are expected to carry out research, write advice, and draft documents under supervision. The first six is often unpaid or paid only a small award, reflecting the training focus.

During the second six, you can take on your own cases under your supervisor's oversight. You will conduct your own client interviews, draft legal documents, negotiate settlements, and appear in court. You may earn more during the second six, either from a pupil award or from fees generated by the cases you work on.

After pupillage, if you have demonstrated competence, your chambers may offer you a tenancy (a partnership-like arrangement where you work as a self-employed barrister from the shared chambers). If no tenancy is forthcoming from your pupil chambers, you may apply for tenancy elsewhere.

Barristers are self-employed, not employees. They work from shared office space (chambers) but are not employed by the chambers. Instead, they share costs (such as rent, administration, and clerking fees) and share the facilities. This model has been the norm for centuries but is gradually becoming more flexible, with some barristers choosing to work as employed counsel in law firms or in-house legal teams.

How to get pupillage

The route to pupillage is highly competitive and differs in some respects from the route to a training contract.

First, you must complete the Bar Practice Course (BPC) or the Bar Vocational Course (BVC), depending on the timing of your application. These are now moving toward a unified approach, with greater emphasis on the BPC, which combines academic and vocational training.

Next, you must apply for pupillage. Most pupillage vacancies are advertised from October onwards, and the application and interview process runs from October through to April, with pupillage places starting in September of the following year. Applicants often apply to multiple chambers simultaneously.

The process involves:

1. Online application to individual chambers, including a CV, covering letter, and details of your legal knowledge and experience.

2. Written assessments conducted by the chambers, often including drafting exercises, problem scenarios, and questions testing legal knowledge.

3. First-round interview (sometimes conducted by video) where you discuss your background, motivation, and understanding of the barrister profession.

4. Second-round interview (an assessment day) where you are interviewed by multiple barristers, undertake further assessments (such as an advocacy exercise or case study), and may meet other pupil candidates.

5. Offer from the chambers, contingent on you passing the BPC.

Pupillage is sought by law graduates and also by career-changers and non-law graduates who have completed a law degree or conversion course. Like training contracts, pupillage is theoretically available to anyone with the requisite qualifications, but in practice, applicants from prestigious universities and with strong academic records, relevant work experience, or family connections to the legal profession are more likely to be successful.

Many applicants for pupillage apply for 12-20 chambers in a single cycle, and rejection is common. Some candidates take multiple years to secure a pupillage place, or pursue other routes such as becoming solicitors instead.

Pay during training

Training contract salaries have become more standardized in recent years, following the introduction of the Cravath scale (a benchmark salary introduced by the Law Society). As of 2026, the minimum salary for a trainee solicitor in London is approximately GBP 31,000-35,000 per year, but this varies significantly by location and firm. Magic circle and other elite firms typically pay GBP 50,000-55,000 per year to trainees, reflecting their profitability and the competitiveness of the market. Regional firms and smaller practices may pay significantly less, sometimes GBP 20,000-25,000.

Under the QWE model, salary is negotiable between you and your employer. There is no fixed benchmark.

Pupillage awards are far more variable and less generous. Some chambers offer no pupillage award at all, expecting pupils to fund themselves through savings or loans. Others offer modest awards of GBP 10,000-20,000 for the full year. The most prestigious and profitable chambers may offer GBP 30,000-50,000, but these are exceptions. Many pupils from wealthy backgrounds can afford to train unpaid; those without financial support often struggle.

The financial disparity between the barrister and solicitor training routes is a significant factor in career choice. Many law graduates are attracted to the solicitor route precisely because it provides a guaranteed salary during training, whereas barristers' earnings are far less predictable.

It is worth noting that even after qualification, barrister earnings are highly variable. Junior barristers can earn very little in their first years of practice, especially if they specialise in areas with lower demand or operate outside major legal centres. Some junior barristers earn less than GBP 30,000 per year, whilst others in commercial chambers may earn significantly more.

Length and structure

A training contract lasts two years and is usually split into four six-month seats or two one-year seats, depending on the firm's structure. Each seat exposes you to a different practice area, and you are assessed at the end of each seat.

A pupillage lasts one year and is split into two six-month periods. The first six is primarily observational and training; the second six involves conducting your own cases.

This difference in length reflects the different nature of the two professions. Solicitors typically work as employees within larger organisations and need a longer induction to learn firm procedures, client relationship management, and the breadth of the practice. Barristers work as self-employed professionals and typically spend less time in formal training before they are deemed ready to practise.

The shorter pupillage period means that barristers are expected to be more independent and self-reliant from the outset of their careers. The longer training contract means that solicitors receive more structured, ongoing support.

What happens after

After successfully completing a training contract, you are admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and Wales. This is a formal process where you apply to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) and, if approved, you receive a practising certificate. You can then work as a solicitor, either in private practice (in a law firm) or in-house (for a corporation, local authority, or other organisation). There is no further barrier to practice; once admitted, you can practise immediately.

After successfully completing pupillage, you are admitted as a barrister. However, unlike solicitors, barristers must first secure a tenancy in a set of chambers (or an employed barrister role) before they can practise. If you do not secure a tenancy from your pupil chambers, you must apply for tenancy elsewhere. This can be extremely difficult; some barristers take many years to find a tenancy, and some do not succeed. Those who do not secure a tenancy in the Bar may retrain as solicitors.

Once you have a tenancy, you can begin practicing as a barrister. Barristers are initially "unregistered" and have various restrictions on the types of work they can undertake, but these restrictions ease over time as they gain experience. After three or more years of practice, barristers can apply for "higher rights of audience" and can appear in higher courts, and can "uplift" to direct access (meaning clients can instruct them directly without going through a solicitor).

The admission process for solicitors is relatively straightforward, but the process for barristers is gated by the availability of tenancies, which creates an additional barrier to practice.

Day to day: a week in life comparison

A week in the life of a trainee solicitor:

Monday morning you arrive at the office (the training contract is office-based), and your supervisor (the training principal) briefs you on an ongoing client matter. You are drafting a contract for a property transaction, and you spend the morning reviewing precedents and drafting clauses. In the afternoon, you attend a client meeting where your supervisor introduces you to the client, and you take notes on their requirements.

Tuesday you continue the drafting. You circulate the draft to the other side's solicitors and begin reviewing their comments. You also attend a training session on the firm's document management system. In the afternoon, you sit in on a negotiation call with opposing counsel.

Wednesday morning you receive feedback from your supervisor on your draft. You make revisions and re-circulate. In the afternoon, you attend court with your supervisor to observe a hearing in a litigation matter you have been researching.

Thursday you return to the office and work on closing the property transaction. You prepare the transfer deed, review the mortgage documents, and prepare a completion checklist for the client. You also have a one-to-one meeting with your training principal to discuss your progress.

Friday you attend a continuing legal education (CLE) session run by the firm on recent changes to employment law. In the afternoon, the property transaction completes, and you prepare a post-completion report for the client. You finish the week proud of a job well done.

A week in the life of a pupil barrister:

Monday morning you arrive at chambers (a shared office space, typically a converted townhouse or office building). You meet with your pupil supervisor, who gives you a brief on a case you will be working on. You are representing a client in a commercial dispute. You spend the morning reading the case papers and the correspondence so far.

Tuesday morning you draft an advice for the client on their legal position and prospects. Your supervisor reviews the draft and gives you feedback. In the afternoon, you observe your supervisor appear in court in an unrelated matter. You sit in the public gallery, watching the advocates' technique.

Wednesday you have a client consultation. Your supervisor's clerk (the person who manages cases and schedules work) has arranged a conference with your client. You lead the consultation, with your supervisor present. You take instructions and discuss strategy. After the client leaves, your supervisor gives you feedback on your interviewing technique.

Thursday you prepare correspondence and negotiate with the opposing party's barrister. You draft a settlement proposal and, in the afternoon, you speak to the other barrister on the phone to discuss the case. You agree on a settlement in principle, subject to the client's approval.

Friday morning you prepare the settlement deed and the court order. Your supervisor reviews these. In the afternoon, the deal completes, and you prepare a final bill for the client. You are pleased that you have led a case to a successful conclusion, albeit under supervision.

The key difference: the solicitor is embedded in an organisation, managing client relationships and files within a formal structure. The barrister works in a more collegial, self-contained environment and is expected to develop more independence and advocacy skills quickly.

Common misconceptions

Misconception 1: Barristers are more prestigious than solicitors.

This is no longer accurate, if it ever was. Historically, barristers were regarded as more senior members of the profession, partly because they had higher barriers to entry and partly because they appeared in court. Modern solicitors are equally well-regarded and often earn more than junior barristers. Many clients and employers value solicitor credentials and experience equally. The two professions are now seen as parallel and equally valid career paths.

Misconception 2: Barristers only do courtroom work.

Barristers do far more than advocacy. They write advice, draft documents, conduct negotiations, and provide legal analysis. In fact, much of a barrister's work is desk-based. The shift toward direct access (where clients can instruct barristers without a solicitor intermediary) has expanded barristers' work to include client management, billing, and practice administration.

Misconception 3: You must decide between solicitor and barrister before law school.

You can change your mind during law school or even after qualifying. Some people qualify as solicitors and later train as barristers, or vice versa. The routes are increasingly flexible and overlapping. Some barristers work as employed counsel in law firms or in-house teams, blurring the line between the two professions.

Misconception 4: Pupillage is unpaid.

Some pupillages are unpaid, but many offer a pupil award, and the most competitive chambers offer generous awards. The assumption that pupillage must be unpaid is outdated and varies significantly by chambers.

Misconception 5: Training contracts are easier to get than pupillages.

Training contracts are easier to secure in absolute terms because more positions are available. However, both routes are highly competitive. If you are aiming for a position at a magic circle law firm or a top commercial chambers, the difficulty levels are comparable.

Related concepts and pathways

To deepen your understanding of legal training in England and Wales, explore these related topics:

1. Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE): The new, unified pathway to qualification as a solicitor, replacing the older Law Practice Course (LPC).

2. Bar Practice Course (BPC): The vocational component of barrister training, setting out the skills and knowledge required of barristers.

3. Law degree and conversion courses: The academic stage that must precede both training contracts and pupillage.

4. In-house legal counsel: An alternative route for qualified lawyers who want to work for a single organisation rather than a law firm or chambers.

5. Associate roles: A non-partnership role in a law firm, sometimes offered to barristers who do not secure a tenancy in chambers.

6. Direct access: The ability of barristers to take instructions from certain clients (such as businesses and public bodies) without a solicitor intermediary.

7. Higher rights of audience: Rights granted to barristers (and some solicitors) to appear in higher courts on a wider range of matters.

8. Continuing Professional Development (CPD): The mandatory training requirements for both solicitors and barristers after qualification.

9. Employed barrister roles: Positions for barristers within law firms, in-house legal teams, and the public sector, blurring the traditional distinction between solicitors and barristers.

10. Alternative legal careers: Roles such as legal technology, legal operations, and legal project management that do not require a training contract or pupillage.

Sources

• Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA): https://www.sra.org.uk - Official guidance on training contracts, QWE placements, and admission as a solicitor.
• Bar Standards Board (BSB): https://www.barstandardsboard.org.uk - Official guidance on pupillage and qualification as a barrister.
• Law Society: https://www.lawsociety.org.uk - Professional body for solicitors, with resources on training and career development.

Disclaimer

This page provides information about UK legal training and career paths. It is not career advice, and you should not rely on it as a substitute for professional guidance. If you are considering a career in law, please consult with careers advisors, practising lawyers, and official sources such as those listed above.

Written by Peter Kolomiets, founder of CaseCalm. UK content reviewed 2026-05-28.