The Bar Council is considering toughening up entry to the Bar Vocational Course (BVC) in response to findings that the chances of securing a pupil-lage are at an all-time low.

A working group set up by the council, led by Court of Appeal Judge Lord Justice Neuberger, had its first meeting last week (24 October) to discuss ways of addressing the problem.

High on the list of priorities is cutting the number of students taking the BVC. One option would be setting a minimum entry requirement of a 2:1 degree or introducing a competency test.

The working group is also planning to review funding – on the one hand considering introducing a Bar loan to help open up the profession and, on the other, the return of unfunded pupillages.

Any decision to bring back unpaid pupillages will be criticised for reducing diversity in the Bar – when the working group is also meant to be devising a blueprint for improving access to the profession for people from ethnic minorities and underprivileged backgrounds.

Another option being mulled is bringing forward interview dates and offers so students know whether or not they have a pupillage before applying for a place on the BVC.

The review follows the release of a survey that found roughly half of those applying for a pupillage failed even to get an interview.

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