Vishnu Patel talks his career to date, High Court trials and pupillage pointers
At the close of a busy workweek, Legal Cheek Careers caught up with Vishnu Patel, the newest tenant at Henderson Chambers. We delved into his journey to the bar, the advantages of a diverse practice, and his top tips and advice for aspiring barristers gearing up to submit their pupillage applications.
“I knew I wanted to be a lawyer from a very young age,” Patel recalls. “I’m sure I read a book somewhere that inspired me, and being quite stubborn, I stuck with it — and here I am. Thankfully, I later discovered that I had the skills and qualities well-suited to the unique demands of life at the bar, including self-employment and a strong focus on advocacy. It’s a career that aligns perfectly with my skills, personality and work-life balance.”
“As for why I chose to practise at Henderson,” he explains, “their specialisation in group action litigation was a major draw. The opportunity to work on significant, large-scale cases was incredibly appealing.” Another key factor for the junior barrister was the variety of work offered at Henderson Chambers. “The broad range of cases across the set was, and still is, a crucial factor for me,” Patel says. “While there is a strong commercial focus and expertise, we also handle more general civil and common law matters.”
“In my first few weeks of tenancy, for example, I was instructed as sole counsel for the family in an inquest which, although it can be a bit daunting so early on, allows you to get on top of a wide range of work and issues, and constantly be building a broad skillset in new areas.” The offering of a range of work doesn’t mean any sacrifice in quality, however. “You really get the top end of work across a broad range of different areas that you want to be involved with.”
“It might seem like a cliché”, he continues, “but the range of work means that no two days are the same. If you’re interested in learning and developing not just your skills but also yourself, it’s definitely the career for you, and Henderson is the right chambers for that.”
Reflecting on his pupillage experience, Patel is quick to dispel the “horror stories” often associated with pupillage myths, assuring readers that such tales couldn’t be further from the truth at Henderson Chambers. “The people here are incredibly supportive and consistently provide feedback, which I found invaluable for understanding the quality of my work and overall performance,” he shares. This feedback, Patel explains, is offered for every piece of work completed whether for a pupillage supervisor or other member of chambers. As a result, pupils always know where they stand and what areas they need to focus on next, fostering a clear sense of progression.
Reflecting on the highlight of his pupillage, Patel recalls observing a silk at Henderson Chambers cross-examine three co-claimants during an eight-day High Court defamation trial. “It was an incredible experience to watch and immensely useful, especially when it comes to developing your own advocacy skills,” he says. Rookies also undergo a series of advocacy assessments during their first six months, designed to ensure they are as well-prepared as possible to step into practice.
Patel credits the supportive environment at Henderson Chambers for further aiding his learning and development. “It’s a very friendly and collegiate set, full of people who are more than happy to sit down with you and go through specific points or issues,” he explains. “They’re incredibly generous with their time, and these discussions also help you build your skills in articulating complex points, engaging in dialogue, and handling questions effectively.”
This supportive culture and structured approach to training prepares rookies well for their second six, enabling them to begin practising independently. “During that time, you’re in court two or three times a week, handling smaller matters such as certain injunctions or minor property disputes. It’s a great way to gain hands-on experience and develop the type of advocacy skills you’ll need at the junior bar,” Patel explains.
“Anyone who says getting onto your feet for the first time isn’t daunting would definitely be lying, Patel says. “But it is also incredibily exciting, and it is something that I really look forward to. Preparation is key, and it is great being able to get some experience in during that training phase. It really helps the transition from pupil to tenant because you are already practicing and on your feet taking instructions.”
Now a fully-fledged tenant, Patel couldn’t be happier with his practice. “It’s incredibly exciting, and I’ve been very busy since completing pupillage. The clerks have been fantastic in managing this — making sure I have plenty of work to keep me busy but not overwhelmed,” he shares. “They’re also brilliant at helping me shape and develop my practice, discussing the areas of law I want to explore, and advising on how and where to market myself effectively.”
“It’s difficult to say how much time I spend in court or how much of my work is led versus unled because no day or week is ever the same,” Patel explains. “I handle many smaller cases independently, from half-hour applications to full-day matters, but I’m also involved in larger, led cases that can last a week or more.” This variety, he says, is the perfect balance for a junior barrister. It offers a mix of on-the-job learning and the opportunity to build both a personal reputation and caseload, while also benefiting from the experience and guidance of more senior barristers.
Juniors aren’t left to navigate their careers entirely on their own after pupillage. “Recently, I was instructed on a challenging case and was able to knock on the door of a senior barrister in chambers. We sat down for about an hour to talk through certain issues,” Patel says. “Senior members genuinely take an active interest in helping you develop your practice and ensuring you know what you’re doing!” This supportive culture, combined with the mentorship programme that all new starters at Henderson Chambers receive, provides juniors with the guidance they need to build a successful and thriving practice, Patel explains.
With aspiring barristers fine tuning their applications, our conversation turns to Patel’s advice for those aiming to secure pupillage during this cycle. A lack of tailoring, and typos, are two significant red flags, he notes, as it is “always quite obvious” when applicants reuse answers from one set’s questions for another chambers, especially when the approaches or practice areas differ.
“Aim to make your applications as individual as possible, and use them as your first piece of advocacy that you’re putting in front of the chambers and pupillage committees. Make sure everything is as accurate and crisp as possible, almost like you’re drafting a skeleton argument or advice,” Patel advises. “While not every question is ‘why should we take you on?’, that’s what you want to get across in everything you answer.”
When it comes to interviews, Patel’s top tip is simple: prepare, prepare, prepare, and when you think you’ve finished, prepare some more. “Make sure you’re on top of everything in your application, and think about any questions they might ask. Again, it’s an exercise in advocacy, and your job is to convince them that you are the best candidate for the role.”
Part of being prepared includes staying on top of the often-overwhelming concept of commercial awareness. “You’re not expected to know everything at that stage, far from it, and you certainly don’t need an in-depth knowledge of niche practice areas unless you’ve worked in that area as a solicitor, for example,” Patel reassures. Instead, he suggests focusing on “being aware of topical legal issues and events that are happening, even if you’re not an expert in them or in that area of law. Recent news articles from chambers are also good to know—have they done anything particularly notable recently that you should be aware of?”
In essence, “the key is to really get to grips with preparation without feeling like you need to know everything about everything. For example, you’re not going to be grilled on paragraph 18 of an obscure judgment, but if you mention the judgment, either in your application or in the interview, you should be able to discuss it, offer an opinion on the case, and, importantly, be able to defend your stance.”
Patel’s final piece of advice is to seize opportunities as they come. “I spent time at a law firm in Canada thanks to a scholarship from Middle Temple, which was a fantastic experience. Obviously, it’s a different jurisdiction, but being based on common law meant that I was able to get to grips with the practice there quickly, and further develop my skills in drafting, advocacy, and research. It made me a stronger candidate for pupillage and, ultimately, a better barrister.”
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