Current student Walter Verkaik is studying the Bar Practice Course (BPC) with LLM at our London Bloomsbury campus. We caught up with Walter to discuss his experience of studying for the BPC, including our Future Pupil Programme, advocacy training, mock trials and more.
By Cara Fielder. Published 16 September 2024.
I was inspired to study law when I decided that I wanted to make a difference in the community. This led me to choose the BPC as, after finishing my undergraduate law degree, I decided that, as a barrister, I would be able to have the most direct contact with both victims of crime and those accused. Although this was the primary factor, I also thought that becoming a barrister would suit my personality. The criminal Bar is notoriously chaotic and I enjoy reacting to changing facts and thinking on my feet. I also wanted to pursue a career where I could meet lots of different people in different environments.
I chose to study at The University of Law as it is the largest provider of the BPC. I also have friends from my undergraduate degree who went on to study there on various courses and they all had good reviews. I was also encouraged by the LLM options, especially doing pro-bono work. Finally, I found the idea of learning from professionals with lived experience to be important.
I was not aware of the Employability team when I joined and it wasn’t a consideration of mine, however, in hindsight, the employability services were the most crucial part of my time at University.
The Future Pupil Programme (FPP – part of the BPC) was the leading factor in attaining pupillage. The FPP guided me from the very beginning of the pupillage application process to the very end. At each stage of the process, the FPP offered access to a wealth of different resources which gave me essential support. The most helpful support was the 1-2-1 meetings with the FPP team; their depth of knowledge on not just the process, but also individual chambers. The employability consultants helped me consistently throughout the process.
The FPP pupillage panel events were also particularly helpful as they gave you a chance to hear from current pupils who have just obtained pupillage and get top tips from them. You also heard from members of chambers who sit on the Pupillage Committees and can offer constructive, practical advice on exactly what that chambers is looking for.
My advocacy training consisted of sessions twice a week; one criminal and one civil. They are very helpful for multiple reasons. I had very little advocacy experience before starting the BPC and the first few sessions are great for just getting up and getting it wrong, but quickly realising that everyone is getting it wrong as well. The lecturers are good at creating a great atmosphere and encouraging you to get up and try. The feedback is then gradual and after a few weeks, you’ve learnt the basics and can go from there. The course is intense but it means the advocacy stops being daunting very quickly.
During the course, there are two compulsory mock trials, one civil and one criminal. They came towards the end of the year and gave my classmates and I a chance to put together the skills we had learnt throughout the course. There are opportunities to participate in other mock trials too.
I would definitely recommend this BPC to future barristers. No doubt the most valuable part of the course is the advocacy. The lecturers are very encouraging, so no matter how inexperienced you are in advocacy before beginning the BPC, it becomes significantly easier and more natural having had these teachers.
My advice for future BPC students is don’t be afraid to get rejected. It’s a big part of the pupillage process and it happens to almost everyone. Also, don’t get too bogged down when writing the applications; you need to find the right balance between quantity and quality, and it isn’t always useful to be an over-perfectionist.
Finally, be quite free when writing, even on serious legal topics. Try not to ‘stick to the script’ of the consensus of legal opinion. This will help you stand out from the hundreds of applications the set will receive.
Follow in Walter’s footsteps and join us to study the BPC.
