Browne Jacobson has appointed what is believed to be the nation’s first in-house pupil barrister within private practice.
David Drew has enrolled on a two-year pupillage at the UK and Ireland law firm’s Cardiff office.
A pupillage is the work-based learning component of Bar training, which then qualifies individuals to practise as a barrister. Working under the supervision of experienced barristers, a pupillage is usually completed in chambers but Browne Jacobson offers this within its in-house barrister team.
Samantha Paxman, barrister and partner who oversees the barrister team in Cardiff and was one of the firm’s first pupil barristers, said: 'Browne Jacobson has a proven track record of producing and retaining excellent barristers, who work hand in glove with our solicitor colleagues during proceedings to provide clients with a truly full service.
'We are particularly proud of our reputation as a successful pupillage training provider in England and we’re excited to now be rolling this out in Wales, where our presence continues to grow rapidly.'
Prior to joining Browne Jacobson, David worked in IT while undertaking his law degree with the Open University, before completing his bar training course at Cardiff University’s School of Law and Politics.
Following a successful application for pupillage in 2024, David was hired by the firm as an Assistant Advocate in August last year, before starting his pupillage on 31 March 2025.
David said: 'I wanted to join Browne Jacobson's barristers’ team as not only would I be joining a nationally-renowned law firm but I would benefit from seeing the high-quality cases the team conducts. The fact that I get to shadow such a wide variety of barristers across a breadth of areas of law is fantastic and I’m enthusiastic about what I will learn during my pupillage.
'As someone with a young family, a career at the employed Bar with this firm gives me the security my family and I need while allowing me to pursue an interesting, exciting and varied role.'
Applications for Browne Jacobson’s mini-pupillage scheme, which offers people the opportunity to shadow the barrister team for a week, are now open until 31 May. For more information, click here.
For more information about the pupillage programme and virtual work experience scheme for aspiring barristers, click here.
