tenancy

Cloisters welcomes applications from established practitioners at any time.  We will treat all applications and enquiries in the strictest confidence. We look for the following:

• Evidence of commitment to or special expertise in one or more of Cloisters’ practice areas
• Evidence of an established client base or practice
• Evidence to show earnings of a broadly comparable level to a member of Cloisters in relevantly similar circumstances (such as call bracket and practice area), having regard to individual factors such as past career breaks, isolation in the candidate’s current chambers or other professional disadvantage.

We particularly encourage applications from members of groups which are under-represented in chambers, and we comply with the Bar Council's Equality and Diversity Code. We are always willing to make reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates.

Please contact Joel Donovan on jd@cloisters.com or 020 7827 4080 (direct line) for an informal discussion or for further guidance.

There are three routes to tenancy at Cloisters:

1. Following pupillage

Pupils are formally assessed in the final months of their pupillage on advocacy, research and pleadings. The assessments are followed by a formal tenancy interview with the tenancy committee.

2. Advertised vacancies

Where we identify a vacancy or wish to grow in our core areas of practice we usually advertise.  This generally involves an interview with a legal exercise given to applicants just before the interview. Applicants are normally required to provide:

• Evidence of aged debt  
• Evidence of earnings for the previous 2 years
• Diary for the last year and the next 6 months
• A list of top 10 instructing firms of solicitors or organisations

3. Direct approaches by us and unsolicited applications

We have a fast track procedure for dealing with applications where a direct approach is made by us or we receive an unsolicited application. Contact Alessandra Parasiliti-Mollica for further details and our tenancy criteria document. We always welcome enquiries about tenancy at Cloisters. If you would like to make a confidential enquiry please contact Robin Allen QC or Joel Donovan.

Equal Opportunities

Cloisters is committed to equal opportunities and diversity in the workplace. We are firmly committed to the Equality Code for the Bar.