Issued by: Ministry of Justice

Britain’s brightest aspiring lawyers are to benefit from an ambitious new scheme designed to help train the next generation of criminal barristers.

• £1.5 million annual funding to help train aspiring legal talent

• 100 extra training places to help tear down barriers to the legal profession

• Part of Government’s plan to deliver a faster and fairer justice system

Launching on Tuesday 01 September, the Government has announced a multi-million-pound scheme to deliver up to 100 additional pupillages every year. The scheme will provide young people with the practical training required to become fully-fledged criminal barristers, who help deliver faster and fairer justice for victims.

The landmark scheme, backed by £1.5 million per year, will widen access to one of the country’s most prestigious professions, helping talented young people from all backgrounds secure the practical training needed to qualify as criminal barristers.

At the same time, it will strengthen the Criminal Bar by boosting the number of junior advocates entering the profession and develop a strong pipeline of talent to support the criminal justice system at a critical time.

Minister for Courts and Legal Services Sarah Sackman KC MP said:

"I’ll never forget the day I was called to the Bar. It was a privilege to enter a profession that can help individuals in times of crisis and support the delivery of justice in this country. I want those opportunities open to the brightest people from all over the country and every background.

"This major initiative will help train the next generation of criminal barristers who are essential to upholding the rule of law and delivering swifter justice for victims."

Backing future barristers will also deliver a stronger legal sector, which contributes more than £42 billion to the UK economy each year. This latest investment will ensure the legal sector has the talent it needs to drive growth and talent across the country.

The scheme builds on the successful Council of the Inns of Court pupillage match-funding programme, providing dedicated support for pupillages across England and Wales.

Government funding will support additional training places that would not otherwise be available. This scheme contributes to the Government’s wider ambition of increasing opportunities for youth employment through The Job Guarantee and the most significant reforms to the apprenticeship system in a generation.

Riel Karmy-Jones KC, Chair, and Andrew Thomas KC, Chair elect of the Criminal Bar Association, said:

"This is a very positive step forward. The criminal justice System needs a vibrant diverse and independent Criminal Bar to strengthen public cohesion.

"Pupil barristers receive training by unpaid volunteers from the profession, who give up their time to provide education, supervision and mentoring.

"This additional funding from the Government will support that work and also the Bar’s initiatives to ensure that we recruit from the widest possible pool of candidates.

"We welcome this and look forward to working alongside the Lord Chancellor, the Courts minister and chambers across England and Wales on this promised investment plan."

Bar Council Chair Kirsty Brimelow KC added:

"We welcome the implementation of this initiative, the result of joint working between the Ministry of Justice, the Bar Council, the Criminal Bar Association and the Inns of Courts. It has been championed by the Bar Council since 2024 where it featured in our ‘Manifesto for justice’.

"The funding of additional criminal pupillages is a necessary step towards fortifying the long-term pipeline of junior criminal barristers. This, in turn, supports the criminal justice system which, in turn, supports complainants, witnesses and defendants by helping to reduce delays caused by a depleted criminal barrister workforce."

Chambers receiving funding will be expected to incorporate equal opportunity measures into their recruitment practices through targeted outreach and steps to increase representation in the profession.

The announcement forms part of the Government’s wider plan to rebuild the criminal justice system. The Lord Chancellor has made clear that one of his key priorities is tackling the Crown Court backlog so victims can see justice delivered more quickly.

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