Realism at the Bar

Only 37-39% of Bar Professional Training Course (BPTC) graduates go on to pupillage, Bar Standards Board figures show.

BPTC fees can be as high as £19,000 for the year.

Bar Chair, Andrew Langdon QC said: ‘We have been supporting the work of the Inns of Court in developing a less expensive model of training, splitting the course into two parts so that only those with a realistic chance of securing pupillage will continue with the course.

‘The nature of the Bar is that candidates must be prepared to achieve academic excellence and to compete, but we do not want students with a good chance of success to be put off by the cost. Those currently considering a career at the Bar will want to study these BPTC figures when weighing up their options.’

The figures revealed increasing diversity—for 2015-16, 19.7% of UK/EU graduates awarded pupillage were BME (black minority ethnic).