The assistant post is a one-year, full-time job at Brick Court Chambers from September 2024 – July 2025. You will be assisting a barrister who specialises in the fields of public international law, international arbitration, commercial litigation, and sanctions.
The role involves working closely with the barrister (and their colleagues, including KCs, solicitors, government officials, and lay clients) on live and high-profile cases in the above practice areas. The role will involve attending court, legal research, strategic thinking, case management, as well as clerical assistance and diary management. You will also have the opportunity to assist the barrister in preparing oral advocacy before various courts and tribunals.
Previous assistants have worked on high-value commercial trials; international arbitrations, including investment treaty cases before ICSID; appeals to the Supreme Court and Privy Council; preliminary references to the CJEU; high-profile judicial reviews; and international law cases in various fora, including the International Court of Justice, European Court of Humans Rights, Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and domestic courts all around the world. There may also be opportunity for travel abroad, depending on caseload, which will be all-expenses paid.
The role is ideal for anyone interested in pursuing a career at the Bar. Previous assistants have gone onto do pupillage (and take tenancy) at top sets including Blackstone Chambers, Essex Court, 3VB, 39 Essex, and No.5 Chambers. Others have gone onto further study (including the LLM at the University of Cambridge), to work at NGOs, and as solicitors.
Criteria
The successful applicant should meet the following criteria:
a. Education and qualifications: Law degree (or equivalent such as GDL), preferably with 1st Class or Distinction, unless there are extenuating circumstances;
b. Legal aptitude: Demonstrated legal aptitude in at least one of commercial law, international arbitration, public international law, or sanctions. You can demonstrate this either by pointing to professional experiences, academic achievements, or other relevant evidence;
c. Legal research: Experience of research on legal databases (e.g Westlaw, Lexis, Jus Mundi, CURIA);
d. Excellent verbal and written communication skills;
e. Being able to work with others in a team and work to tight deadlines;
f. Honesty and integrity, as well as discretion in the handling of information.
Salary: £36,470 per annum
Deadline for applying: Friday 21 June 2024 at 5pm
How to apply: Please send your application to ali.al-karim@brickcourt.co.uk with the subject line ‘Application – Barrister’s Assistant – [NAME]’. Please include in the body of the email (i.e., no attachments) answers to the following questions:
1. Education and qualifications: please provide details of undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, indicating both (i) a breakdown of your marks, (ii) your overall rank in the year in your undergraduate/postgraduate studies, and (iii) any extenuating circumstances that you would like to disclose in order to contextualise your marks.
2. Covering note: In no more than 350 words, please explain why you consider that you meet the criteria for the post (the criteria is outlined above). You may draw on previous professional, academic, or other experiences of relevance.
If you are selected for a final round interview, it is likely that it will take place on Saturday 6 July 2024.