Pupil compensation at barristers’ chambers throughout England and Wales has reached unprecedented levels, according to the report most recent examination, which highlights intensifying competition among market leaders. Gough Square Chambers and Gray’s Inn Tax Chambers lead this year’s Chambers Most List, each offering pupillage awards of £100,000. Fourteen additional chambers share second place, with each presenting £90,000.
Variation in award structures
Some pupillage awards are disbursed as a lump sum, while others provide a guaranteed minimum income during a pupil’s practising second six—when they may conduct cases independently.
This distinction is significant. Pupils at chambers with a guaranteed minimum can surpass the advertised amount if their second-six earnings exceed it.
For instance, whereas a pupil at Gray’s Inn Tax Chambers receives a fixed award of £100,000, a pupil at Gough Square could earn more, contingent on workload during their second six.
The highest-ranked chambers are dominated by prominent members of the commercial and commercial chancery bar, including Serle Court and Maitland (both £85,000) and 3VB (£90,000).
Notable award enhancements
Three chambers have raised their awards by £15,000. Leading public law firms 11KBW and Monckton have both expanded offerings from £75,000 to £90,000. Meanwhile, 5 Essex Chambers has increased its award from £65,000 to £80,000.
Other substantial increases exist as well. Six chambers have escalated their awards by £10,000. Examples include Brick Court, now offering £90,000, and Devereux, where the figure has risen to £85,000.
Average pupillage awards across the 51 chambers listed this year average approximately £81,000. Of these, 18 have raised their awards, while the remaining 33 have maintained their current amounts.
The financial benefits extend beyond London. Kings Chambers, operating in Manchester, Leeds, and Birmingham, has increased its award by £5,000 to £80,000, positioning it ahead of several capital-based firms.
Growing income disparity between pupil barristers and trainee solicitors
These enhancements amplify the earnings gap between pupil barristers and trainee solicitors.
Tax benefits linked to pupillage awards may further widen this gap. Earnings potential extends beyond pupillage itself: new tenants at premier commercial chambers can earn up to £360,000 in their first year, far exceeding the highest newly qualified solicitor salary of £181,000.
Not all chambers offer such high compensation. Many chambers focusing on publicly funded work, including crime, immigration, and certain family law sectors, maintain awards near the Bar Standards Board minimum. Effective 1 January 2026, this minimum stands at £25,863 annually for pupillages in London and £23,504 for those outside the capital.
