At Lincoln House Chambers we are proud to support and celebrate the diverse pathways that lead to a career at the Bar. Our barristers come from a wide range of academic, professional and personal backgrounds, and we recognise that there is no single route to becoming an advocate. This section highlights the experiences of members of Chambers who have taken less conventional paths to qualification. Their stories reflect the variety of journeys into the profession, including career changes, non law degrees, part time study, access routes and experience gained outside conventional legal training pathways. We hope these accounts provide insight and encouragement to those considering a career at the Bar, particularly those who may not see themselves reflected in more conventional narratives. They demonstrate that determination, resilience, and diverse experience are valued and can be significant strengths in legal practice. By sharing these perspectives, we aim to promote greater understanding of the different ways in which excellence at the Bar can be achieved, and to support a more inclusive and accessible profession.
Testimonies
There were no lawyers in my entirely military family and my sister and I were the first in our family to go to university, following which she commissioned into the Royal Air Force. I fell into law through curiosity when selling houses as a teenager, the directors’ personal assistants were former legal secretaries in a criminal practice and would regale me with stories. An idea was born. From there, I went to work at a couple of different law firms as a legal secretary and then a paralegal. With the support and guidance of one of the partners at Hugh James who realised my potential, I applied to Cardiff University to read law. While waiting for acceptance I worked in the fraud and regulatory department at Eversheds, a paralegal position they kept open for me while I studied. After graduating from Cardiff I worked part-time for Welsh mental health charity Hafal, supporting people in the criminal justice system with diagnoses of serious mental illnesses such as bipolar and schizophrenia in the police station, in prison, probation, court and in the community. I did some mini pupillages, and I set my heart on the criminal Bar, only for the financial crash to happen heralding savage cuts to legal aid and criminal legal aid pupillages all but drying up. Whole chambers stopped doing crime and some closed, and I had to pause, regroup and rethink.
I swapped from the BPTC (Bar course) to the LPC for tactical reasons, attained a training contract and qualified as a Solicitor while obtaining my higher rights as a tack-on module during my Professional Skills Course. Continuing in the seemingly never-ending series of exams, I qualified as a Duty Solicitor and gained my stripes in the police station attending 0300hrs interviews and managing youths in the youth court. I was soon deploying my higher rights in the Crown Court for Forbes Solicitors in Preston, who at the time had a large in-house advocacy team comprising barristers and solicitors. It was not long before I was invited to transfer to the independent Bar and join 15 Winckley Square Chambers in Preston and after three happy years there I applied to join Lincoln House Chambers in 2019, where I have remained ever since. I remain grateful to everyone who played a part in my career development and retain strong friendships with those I worked with as long as 20 years ago. It wasn’t a conventional route to get here, but the skills and knowledge I picked up working in the various facets of the criminal justice system and as a Solicitor are deployed daily.
A career at the Criminal Bar was never on my radar growing up in Liverpool. I first pursued paths in psychology and the Royal Marines, but an underlying interest in working with and for people ultimately drew me to reading law.
I shaped my career direction through mini-pupillages and work experience with solicitors across the country. A criminal law practice, in particular, felt like the natural fit. These opportunities were invaluable in refining my ambition to practise at the Criminal Bar in the North West, and gave me early insight into the realities of practice.
Aware of the competitive nature of pupillage, I focused on achieving strong academic results, obtaining a first-class law degree before pursuing an MPhil at Cambridge, where I developed my interest in criminal law and criminology further.
Immediately prior to pupillage, I was fortunate to work at a top-tier law firm, managing my own Crown Court caseload and assisting partners on their serious crime cases. That experience provided me with a solid foundation which I continue to draw upon in practice.
At Lincoln House Chambers, the combination of excellent clerking, fantastic instructing solicitors and a genuinely collegiate environment has enabled me to develop quickly. The shared commitment to high-quality representation underpins everything we do. Whether acting alone or as a led junior, my background and experiences allow me to approach each case with understanding, perspective and dedication to those I represent.
My journey to the Bar began during my time in high school, when my father was involved in an employment tribunal. As a carer for both him and my sister, I felt a strong desire to help but was acutely aware of my limitations at such a young age. At around 14 or 15 years old, I attempted to research the law independently, though I quickly realised that my age and lack of experience prohibited me from making any meaningful contribution. This experience motivated me to pursue the study of Law at college.
I remain deeply grateful to my college tutor, who believed in my potential and encouraged me to consider a career as a Criminal Barrister. At the time, I had little understanding of what this entailed, but after researching the profession, I was drawn to it and committed myself to that goal.
However, this plan was initially derailed when I did not achieve the grades I had hoped for in my A-Levels, and consequently was not accepted into my first-choice universities. I instead undertook a foundation year at Manchester Metropolitan University, where I applied myself fully to my studies. Alongside my LLB Law degree, I maintained a part-time job to support my family financially and engaged in a range of voluntary roles, including with Support Through Court, Citizens Advice, and the Witness Service.
I graduated with a first-class degree and was awarded a scholarship from the Inner Temple, which enabled me to undertake the Bar Course—an opportunity that would otherwise have been financially out of reach. I chose to study at ICCA due to its flexible structure: Part One was delivered online and self-paced, allowing me to remain at home and continue my caring responsibilities, while Part Two required me to live in London for four months.
I was fortunate to secure pupillage on my first application cycle. I applied to approximately 15 chambers, receiving five first-round interviews and one second-round interview. It was through this second-round interview that I was offered pupillage at Lincoln House Chambers. Since joining, I have found the support and encouragement from members of Chambers to be exceptional, particularly in recognising and valuing my background.
I originally studied politics and economics at university and only alighted upon law as a career when reflecting upon my future during a year playing cricket abroad. After a week’s work experience with a criminal defence firm in Yorkshire, I became determined to become a criminal lawyer.
I had to work for a year and take out a bank loan to pay for the law conversion course and then had to work for a further year after that to afford the next stage in my training. By this stage I was already in my mid-20’s and I was anxious to begin working as a lawyer. I decided to qualify as a solicitor. I thought that would make me more attractive to law firms and I would always retain the option of transferring to the bar later in my career. A further bonus was the avoidance of the nerve-wracking process of securing pupillage.
My plan worked! I secured a position as a paralegal at a national law firm and was swiftly offered a training contract before further progressing within the firm. I was a director by the time I departed.
The call of the bar ultimately became too strong. As vital as the work I did preparing cases was, I wanted to be the person in court presenting the case. The decision was something of a leap of faith, and I was sorry to leave my firm, but joining LHC is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Chambers were extremely supportive with additional training to get to grips with regularly appearing in the Crown Court. I think my time as a solicitor helped me to hit the ground running. My client communication and care skills were very well-honed and, of course, I have first-hand insight into what solicitors want and expect from their counsel.
I did an English degree, qualified as a solicitor and worked as a law lecturer and CPS lawyer, before moving to the Bar and joining Lincoln House Chambers many years ago. Before joining, I worried about being self-employed and isolated from advice and assistance from colleagues. The reality is spectacularly different. -Within Chambers there is such a depth and breadth of experience you will never find a problem that someone else has not encountered and is only too happy to discuss (and almost certainly willing to explain, sometimes at length, how they have successfully dealt with it!) . There is a real team spirit in Chambers – from top to bottom you will find other members advising, helping out and particularly encouraging others.
Having qualified a solicitor in private practice, I joined the CPS where I worked for 9 years. During that period, I had the privilege of working with counsel from Lincoln House. The research that I undertook, (and my own personal and professional experiences with members of LHC), led me to apply. The standing of Lincoln House and the approachability of its barristers was well known. I joined Chambers in August 1994.
My view of LHC and its members remains as high as it has always been. I been able to call on other members of Chambers for advice throughout my time at LHC.
The camaraderie, professionalism and hard work of the clerking team and all our support team at LHC has (and remains) essential to the daily work of the barristers. They are indispensable.
My route to the criminal Bar wasn’t exactly conventional but it shaped who I am as a barrister.
I grew up in Oldham, went to a state school, and paid my way through university stacking shelves at Tesco. After graduating in History, I worked at a mental health charity while studying for the GDL part-time. In my second year, I was offered a two-week temporary paralegal role at Freshfields. I took the risk, left my job, and five years later had worked my way up through two Magic Circle firms.
Shiny office buildings—and even shinier coffee machines—weren’t quite for me though. I had long wanted to practise at the criminal Bar, so alongside work and study I focused on getting real exposure to the system. I volunteered on the Independent Monitoring Board of a prison and, later in London, while at Linklaters and completing the Bar Course part-time, I threw myself into mooting and debating.
Balancing all of that wasn’t easy, but it built the resilience I rely on now. I’m comfortable with serious, complex and document-heavy cases, but just as importantly I focus on being straightforward and building trust quickly with clients, particularly those who are vulnerable.
My route wasn’t conventional—but it’s exactly why I’m able to do the job the way I do.
Taking a non-traditional route to the Bar was one of the best decisions I made for both my career and personal development. Rather than progressing directly from university onto the Bar course, I chose to take four years away from the process to gain practical work experience, volunteer within my community, and save money so that I did not need to obtain a further loan to fund the Bar course.
At the time it felt like a difficult decision, especially seeing peers continue straight through the traditional pathway, as I was itching to start. However, those four years proved invaluable. I worked across a variety of professional environments that strengthened my communication skills, resilience, and ability to work with people from all backgrounds. Alongside this, I dedicated time to voluntary roles that deepened my understanding of access to justice and reinforced my motivation to pursue a career at the Bar.
When I eventually applied for scholarships and pupillage, I did so with a CV that reflected far more than academic achievement alone. I was able to demonstrate real-world experience, maturity, commitment, and a clear sense of purpose. In interviews, I found that my experiences outside of academia often helped me stand out amongst other candidates.
The Bar does not require everyone to follow the same path. My experience taught me that there is real value in taking time to grow professionally and personally first. A non-traditional route can provide perspective, confidence, and experiences that ultimately make you a stronger future barrister.