Episode 1 of the Application Season Series, and this is the urgent one. Bar Course scholarship applications at Inner Temple and Middle Temple close on Friday 30 October, so I'm walking you through what Inn scholarships are, who can apply, what the panels are really assessing, and an eight-day plan to get a strong application in on time. If you've ever stood in the corner and decided scholarships aren't for people like you, this one is for you.

In this episode

- (0:00) Cold open: standing in the corner at Middle Temple

- (2:00) Intro: why this is the urgent episode

- (3:30) What Inn scholarships are and who they're for

- (10:00) Objection! "Scholarships are only for people with firsts"

- (13:00) What the Inns are actually looking for: commitment, steps to learn about the Bar, and identifying a court's decision and its reasons

- (22:00) The eight-day plan

- (31:00) The Brief: your sixty-second recap

- (32:30) Your Booking: email your referee tonight

- (33:30) Close and what's coming next Thursday

Key dates

- Inner Temple: applications close Friday 30 October, references due 6 November

- Middle Temple: applications close 3pm on Friday 30 October, references due 20 November

- Aim to submit by Thursday 29 October at the latest

- Inner Temple interviews: March 2027 (you must not have started the Bar Course by then)

Please check the exact closing time and reference deadline on your chosen Inn's page before you apply.

Resources mentioned

- Alignment Workbook (Law 1): https://stan.store/diaryofa_barrister/p/alignment-blueprint--dbrkxyzt: turn your pattern of commitment into your why

- Pupillage Tracker: https://stan.store/diaryofa_barrister/p/pupillage-journey-planner: keep your deadlines, referees and evidence in one place

- Free Resources: https://stan.store/diaryofa_barrister/p/free-resources-a817dkzo

Connect with Diary of a Barrister

Check out our Stan Store for helpful guides and workbooks: https://stan.store/diaryofa_barrister

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If you're an aspiring barrister struggling to gain legal experience, you're not alone. Mini-pupillages and formal placements are fiercely competitive, and it can feel like everyone else has a foot in the door already. In this episode, I share five practical, low-barrier ways to build real experience, sharpen your advocacy, and grow your network — drawing on my own journey and conversations with legal professionals. None of these require you to wait for permission. You can start this week.

1. Attend court sessions. Most courts are open to the public, so you can walk in and watch experienced barristers argue live cases — observing advocacy, witness handling, and courtroom decorum first-hand. Use court listings to find cases near you, dress professionally, and take notes on how arguments are structured.

2. Network with legal professionals. Relationships open doors to mentorship, advice, and opportunities. Join legal societies, use LinkedIn to connect and follow discussions, and show up to seminars, lectures, and workshops.

3. Volunteer with legal aid organisations. Supporting those who can't afford legal help gives you hands-on experience — case research, client interviews, document preparation — while sharpening your writing, communication, and analytical skills.

4. Seek out mentorship. A mentor offers insight into the profession, helps you refine your skills, and introduces you to valuable contacts. Reach out to people whose work you admire, be respectful of their time, and come prepared with thoughtful questions.

5. Reflect on your experiences. Growth comes from processing what you've seen. Keep a journal of what you learned and where you can improve, and talk through your observations with peers or mentors to deepen your understanding.

• Court listings: www.courtserve.co.uk

• Helpful guides and workbooks — visit the Stan Store: https://stan.store/diaryofa_barrister
• Join the mailing: https://mailchi.mp/51dd8e706a3c/diaryofa_barrister
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• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@diaryofa_barrister
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/diaryofa_Barris
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chelsea-brooke-ward500/

I did a full-time law degree while working three jobs, running a business, and raising a baby — and I came out with a First & Pupillage. Not because I'm cleverer than you, and not because I was lucky. Because I planned. Every hour had a job, because every hour had to count.

In this episode I open up the exact system that carried me then and still runs my life now as a practising barrister and a mum. We go deep on why planning matters — how it empties your overloaded head, turns overwhelming projects into doable steps, and compounds small daily actions into a career. Then we get properly practical: how to plan in a legal context where deadlines are hard edges and court dates don't move, how to break big scary tasks down until you can actually start them, how to time block your week, and how to use the Pomodoro technique to do deep, focused work without burning out.

I also talk honestly about the thing all of this builds — discipline — and why that's not a nice-to-have at the Bar but an absolute imperative. I pull back the curtain on my real routine: the electronic diary, using Motion to see the month ahead and schedule around court dates, and my Sunday ritual of writing out and time blocking the week (and why I don't plan the detail further ahead than that, because the work is always changing). And because I never want to sell you a fantasy, I'm honest that my way might not be your way — and that plans fall apart, and what matters is how you come back.

If you've ever felt behind, overwhelmed, or like you're just "not an organised person," this one is for you. Planning isn't a personality type. It's a set of skills — and by the end of these two hours, you'll know exactly how to start building them this week.

Diary of a Barrister — Links

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