Dear Readers,
As promised I am here to offer a concise run down and top 5 tips for the dreaded Lincoln's Inn interview.
A brief outline of the process post offer of interview
Firstly, huge congratulations on getting this far. If you have been offered a scholarship interview at any Inn but especially Lincoln's you are already part of an elite set of prospective barristers who a star studded set of benchers have deemed worthy of investigation. This may seem very wishy washy but maintaining this perspective will give you the boost and reassurance you need to get through what is an enjoyable but daunting interview. In short, the interview will involve a panel of 3 members (usually a bencher who will be a QC or judge, and 2 barristers) in my case I was confronted with 2 judges and a QC who whilst intimidating where absolutely awe-inspiring. Next they will proceed to ask you questions about the area of law you wish to specialize in, tear apart your application form and press you for your financial capability to fund or not fund BPTC.
Key aspects of the interview
Firstly, your specialism. I would recommend knowing which area you said you were looking to go into on your application form and not being afraid to say if this opinion has changed or been narrowed since. They want to see that you have drive and knowledge of where your career is heading not that you never change your mind. For me, this involved explaining that whilst my application form was tailored towards the Family Bar what I actually wanted to work in specifically was child protection law, court of protection cases involving children and child public law. I had spent an excessive amount of time researching and working in these areas however I think what matters is that you know your area well and are willing to research not that you can answer a quiz on the area of your choice. Also do not be afraid to mention more than one area for example I mentioned my first class results in Public and administrative law and my desire to mix this with work with the incapacitated and children. However, if your plans are not quite so easy to explain then do not worry just ensure that you know what your area involves and that you can justify what it is that inspires you about your area of the Bar.
Secondly, you must know your specialist area in some depth. For example know the big recent cases, supreme court decisions and any new bills in this area that are currently in parliament. Also know why you will excel in this area and what you can bring to advocacy in your area of the Bar. For example if you are interested in Commercial Law a keen eye for analysis and stats will help, be good with numbers and be able to tackle legal and economic jargon with ease. Push your ability to make complex legal arguments and deal with rich, demanding and often troublesome clients. However if you want to work in Family Law realize that you need to be far more empathetic, down to earth and able to simplify the law and legal arguments for what are sometimes very volatile and vulnerable clients.
Thirdly, know your application form inside out. Work out which words you used just to fill space or sound sophisticated and work out how you are going to justify yourself. For example, if you said a lecture on X by Y was very inspiring be ready to explain X in detail and why Y was particularly talented. What did X inspire you to do and why did Y help you realize this aspiration?
Finally, although you do not have to know how you will fund the BPTC to the £ make sure you accurately portray how much you, yourself have at your disposal to invest in your dreams. Do not be afraid to say that you will need to borrow or beg or that you will work for a year (or a decade) to fund your BPTC course. What matters is that you show willingness to study and succeed even if you do not get any extra funding.
5 Top Tips
I would like to end this post with a disclaimer... these tips are not idiot proof and will not guarantee you a scholarship. They will however help you to present your best points in the best way you can. The rest however is for fate to decide (and a room full of judges, QCs and admin staff)
1. Do not act like you are on the Apprentice- This is not a competition, it is a pitch. Do not worry about that guy in the corner with 20 years experience running his own business and his £2000 suit. Worry about you and ensuring that you shine. You do not have to be the most experienced, the smartest or the oldest you just have to hold yourself well and believe in your ambitions
2. Laugh- no, not like a maniac. Just do not be afraid to relax. Remember that the panel sat in front of you have been your side of the desk. They know that there are people with a first class Law LLB from Oxford in the waiting room but they also know that you have something unique to bring to the Bar. They are human and they are compassionate, if you make them feel like that they will make sure you know that BPTC is closer than you think.
3. Stay calm- remain focused and show off those well refined reasoning skills and the award winning personality that got you this far.
4. Maintain your perspective- realize that it is incredibly hard to get this scholarship and that many award winning QCs and judges did not make the cut when they applied. This is not the be all and end all this is one step on your journey to creating arguably the best career there is. If you fail get back up and keep moving forward (see Rocky for further details)
5. Invest- look smart but also act smart. It is okay to spend your student loan on the perfect suit but that will not pay £18,500 for your BPTC year. What might is investing emotionally in what you do in the interview room. Do not think about what someone else would do. Articulate what this means to you and why you are worthy of a scholarship.
Thank you for taking the time to read this post. I hope this was helpful for all of you who asked me to assist with your interview and BPTC preparation. Please remain aware that you will achieve your ambitions with hard work and if it does not happen at this interview it will at one in future. Most importantly, good luck and see you all at the Bar.
Every kind wish,
KT