The post is a one-year, full-time job at Brick Court Chambers from September 2025 – July 2026. You will be assisting a barrister with a broad practice across the fields of public international law, international arbitration, commercial litigation, and sanctions. The role involves working closely with the barrister (and their colleagues, including KCs, solicitors, government officials, and lay clients) on live and high-profile cases in the above practice areas. Your responsibilities will include attending court, legal research, strategic thinking, case management, as well as clerical assistance and diary management. Previous assistants have worked on high-value commercial trials; international arbitrations, including investment treaty cases before ICSID; appeals to the Supreme Court and Privy Council; preliminary references to the CJEU; high-profile judicial reviews; and international law cases in various fora, including the International Court of Justice, European Court of Humans Rights, Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and domestic courts all around the world. There may also be opportunity for travel abroad, depending on caseload, which will be all-expenses paid. The role is ideal for anyone interested in pursuing a career at the Bar. Previous assistants have gone onto do pupillage (and take tenancy) at top sets including Blackstone Chambers, Essex Court, 3VB, 39 Essex, and No.5 Chambers. Others have gone onto further study (including the LLM), to work at NGOs, and becoming practising solicitors.
Criteria: The successful applicant should meet the following criteria: 1. Educational qualifications: Law degree (or equivalent such as GDL), preferably with 1 st Class or Distinction, unless there are extenuating circumstances; 2. Legal aptitude: Demonstrated legal aptitude in at least one of commercial law, international arbitration, public international law, or sanctions. You can demonstrate this either by pointing to professional experiences, academic achievements, or other relevant evidence. The successful candidate will be required to work on cases in all four areas of practice; 3. Legal research: Experience of research on legal databases (e.g Westlaw, Lexis, Jus Mundi, CURIA); 4. Excellent verbal and written communication skills; 5. The ability to work with others in a team and work to tight deadlines; 6. Honesty and integrity, as well as discretion in the handling of information. Salary: £36,470 per annum Deadline for applying: Friday 30th May 2025 at 5pm.
How to apply: Please send your application to ali.al-karim@brickcourt.co.uk. The subject line must be ‘Application – Barrister’s Assistant – [NAME]’. Your application should include the following: 1. CV (no more than 3 pages): Please include all relevant professional and academic experience. In particular, set out the details of your undergraduate and postgraduate education, indicating (i) a breakdown of your marks in each paper, (ii) your overall rank in your cohort for each degree, and (iii) any extenuating circumstances that you would like to disclose in order to contextualise your marks. 2. Covering note: In no more than 350 words, please explain why you consider that you meet the criteria for the post outlined above. You may draw on previous professional, academic, or other experiences of relevance. If you are selected for a final round interview, it is likely that it will take place on Saturday 21st June 2025.