5RB is the leading set specialising in all areas of media and communications law, including defamation, privacy, breach of confidence, data protection and information law, harassment, contempt of court, and reporting restrictions. We are the only chambers to specialise exclusively in this fascinating field. Our 37 full-time members act for both claimants and defendants and provide advice and representation to the press, television, radio, book, and online publishers, as well as to individuals, including celebrities and other high-profile people, businesses, and not-for-profit organisations.

Our members are regularly instructed in the most prominent and groundbreaking cases, recent examples of which include Sir James Dyson’s libel claim against Mirror Group over allegations of behaving hypocritically in the context of Brexit, the Laurence Fox Twitter trial, the Duke of Sussex’s privacy claims relating to the alleged hacking of his phone, Arron Banks’s libel claim against Carole Cadwalldr over his alleged financial ties to Russia, the ‘Wagatha Christie’ libel case, the Duchess of Sussex’s privacy and copyright claim against Associated, the litigation concerning the ‘Putin’s People’ book, the Johnny Depp libel trial and the Cliff Richard privacy case against the BBC. In the last few years, members have represented parties on appeals to the Supreme Court relating to abuse of process in the context of libel (Mueen-Uddin v Secretary of State for the Home Dept), the correct interpretation of s.3 of the Defamation Act 1952 in malicious falsehood cases (George v Cannell), the privacy of residents of apartments in the vicinity of the Tate Modern art gallery (Fearn v Board of Trustees of the Tate Gallery), serious harm to reputation (Lachaux v Independent Print Ltd), the public interest defence in defamation (Serafin v Malkiewicz), the reasonable expectation of privacy in information about criminal investigations (ZXC v Bloomberg LP) and vicarious liability in data protection law (WM Morrison Supermarkets plc v Various Claimants), as well as in many cases in the Court of Appeal. Several former members of 5RB have gone on to have successful judicial careers.

We are seeking to recruit up to two pupils to start in October 2026, each with a view to tenancy. Applicants will be expected to demonstrate very high intellectual ability, usually via academic achievement, and excellent interpersonal and advocacy skills (written and oral). We look for applicants with an aptitude for and an interest in practice as a barrister in our specialist areas; however, prior knowledge of the law in these areas is not a requirement.

Pupils at 5RB benefit from spending periods with four different pupil supervisors, seeing a variety of styles and perspectives and receiving expert tuition in practice in media and communications law, including advocacy. We are proud of maintaining a very friendly and collegiate atmosphere, and that extends to how we interact with our pupils: we see pupillage very much as a learning experience rather than a gruelling examination, although pupils will need to demonstrate the high level of skills and conduct necessary for a successful practice if they are to be taken on as a tenant. The vast majority of our pupils in the past decade have been recruited as tenants, and we very much hope and expect that this will continue.

The pupillages will carry an award of £50,000. A new tenant can expect their first-year earnings to significantly exceed this level.

All applications for pupillage must be made via the Pupillage Gateway, which closes on 6 February 2025.

For further information on pupillage at 5RB, please see the information on our Recruitment pages and our Pupillage Policy.

5RB’s Pupillage Booklet 2026-2027 can be found here.

A recent video was presented by Adrienne Page KC, our Joint Head of Chambers, about 5RB’s Pupillage Process. Please watch below.

Mini-pupillage

5RB usually runs three mini-pupillage programmes each year.  These are normally held in June, October and late November/early December.  On these programmes we accept up to 6 mini-pupils for 2 days. During the 2 days you will have the opportunity to attend court hearings involving members of 5RB, to learn about our work and to meet members of Chambers.

We do not allocate mini-pupils to barristers. We keep mini-pupils together for court attendance, group work on media law case examples, introductions to the areas of law that we practise, and discussion of Chambers’ work and of life at the Bar.  Mini-pupillage at 5RB is not assessed.

We no longer run remote mini-pupillage programmes.

If you wish to apply for the June 2026 mini-pupillage programme, please apply by 30 April 2026 using the form available in the links below.

5RB strongly believes and is committed to ensuring that students from all backgrounds should be able to undertake mini-pupillage with us at the minimum expense to themselves.  We aim to improve access to the Bar for all.  We will assist successful applicants by making a contribution to reasonable accommodation and travel expenses, if needed, on application following attendance at a mini-pupillage programme.  Decisions on needed grants are made separately from the decision on whether an applicant is invited to attend mini-pupillage.

Applications for mini-pupillage at 5RB must be made using Chambers’ mini-pupillage application form. A Word version is available here (right-click and “save link as”):

• 5RB-2023-Mini-pupillage-Form (Word)
• 5RB mini-pupillage form (PDF)

Please email your completed form to mini-pupillage@5rb.com.

If you would like any further information about our mini-pupillage programme, please contact Chambers by telephone on 020 7242 2902, by email at mini-pupillage@5rb.com, or by letter to 5RB.

5RB is proud to announce a new partnership with Bringing (Dis)Ability to the Bar (BDABar), a group run by and for disabled aspiring barristers. Through research, education, mentorships, and more, they are working to dismantle barriers affecting disabled aspiring barristers and improve accessibility at the bar.

5RB will welcome up to 2 mini-pupils per year who have applied via the scheme. More information can be found here.

The Pupillage Committee

The Pupillage Committee is made up of several members of 5RB intended to represent a spread of seniority across the set. Members of the Committee are responsible for conducting the pupillage application process and interviews.

The current members of the Committee are as follows:

• Godwin Busuttil – Head
• Victoria Jolliffe
• Ben Gallop
• Gemma McNeil-Walsh

Pupil Supervisors

Those members who are currently act as Pupil Supervisors at 5RB are:

• Godwin Busuttil
• Jacob Dean
• Richard Munden
• David Hirst
• Victoria Simon-Shore
• Victoria Jolliffe
• Kate Wilson
• Jonathan Scherbel-Ball
• Felicity McMahon
• Chloe Strong
• Greg Callus
• Gervase de Wilde

Recruitment

Equal Opportunities

5RB is committed to diversity and to equal opportunities for all, irrespective of race, colour, creed, ethnic or national origins, sexuality or gender, marital status, disability or age. We welcome applications from all backgrounds. 5RB is committed to and has implemented the Bar’s Equality Code.

Closing Dates

It is important that you take careful note of any closing date that applies to an application. Save in exceptional circumstances, we will not accept applications received after this date. If you anticipate problems in complying with the deadline, please contact our Administrator before the deadline expires.

Interview Arrangements

If you have any particular requirements in respect of your needs at interview (e.g. sign interpretation, wheelchair access etc.) or regarding the scheduling of your interview, please include details in your application or let us know separately. We will do everything we can to accommodate your requests.

Data Protection

We comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR. Information derived from application forms/CVs/the recruitment process will be used for recruitment purposes only and will not be passed to any other organisation.

Recruitment – FAQs

Is any prior experience of media law required?

No. It is not necessary for you to have a law degree, still less for you to have studied law relevant to our practice areas. However, any relevant interest or experience you can demonstrate will certainly be considered.

Do I need to do a mini-pupillage at 5RB before applying for pupillage?

No, particularly not in the current circumstances. Our mini-pupillage programme has never been a requirement; it is not assessed. Of course, one of the factors we consider in the application process is the degree to which an applicant has demonstrated in interest in and aptitude for our areas of work which can, of course, include having completed a mini-pupillage with us. A mini-pupillage can really help you in ascertaining whether you would enjoy working in any particular chambers. We recommend that you apply for a mini-pupillage wherever you are thinking about applying for pupillage.

Can I make a deferred application for pupillage?

We do not encourage such applications. It is difficult for us to make decisions about recruitment so far in advance, particularly when this decision has necessarily to be made without the benefit of seeing the full range of potential applicants for the relevant places. If you consider that there are special reasons why you need to make a deferred application, we would encourage you to contact us before submitting your application.

Do I need a first or a 2:1?

Competition for pupillages at 5RB is fierce. Ordinarily we would expect a 2:1 degree or better. However, a candidate’s performance at degree level is just one of the factors that we consider. We do not screen out applicants that do not have a 2:1 or first, but we do encourage applicants to be realistic about their prospects if they have a poor academic background, and we would expect a convincing explanation as to why an applicant with the necessary intellectual ability did not achieve such a result.

What is pupillage at 5RB like?

You can expect to spend your 12-months broken up into four 3-month periods with different pupil supervisors. During the first six months you will spend most of your time working for your own pupil supervisor, although in the second six we will encourage you to do work with and for other members of 5RB. You will gain a unique insight into practice at the highest level, and will be given expert tuition in practice in our specialist areas, including drafting and advocacy. Your work will be regularly reviewed by your pupil supervisor and guidance and feedback provided. During your pupillage it is likely that there will be a number of in-house training seminars, as well as opportunities for you to broaden your experience by spending time at the in-house legal departments of national newspapers and broadcasters. For further details please see our Pupillage Policy and the ‘Meet our Pupils’ section below.

What opportunity will there be for me to get advocacy experience in my 2nd six-months?

Very limited. The nature of our work means that advocacy opportunities for pupils are rare. The focus of pupillage throughout the 12 months is on learning about practice in our particular highly specialist areas. However, pupils will be given advocacy assessments focusing on 5RB’s main areas of work and junior members can expect to appear in both the County Courts and High Court in their early years of practice.

For an insight into pupillage at 5RB, we asked Tiyash Banerjee, our current pupil, a few questions:

Where did you go to university and what did you study?

I studied an undergraduate law degree at Pembroke College, University of Cambridge, graduating with a First. I then studied an LLM at the LSE, with Distinction. Finally, I completed the Bar Course at City, University of London, supported by two scholarships from Gray’s Inn and one from City.

Why did you choose 5RB?

My interest in media law began during my undergraduate degree when studying human rights and doing a privacy and human rights moot problem. I followed this interest to study relevant modules during my LLM and gain work experience within the field.

The crucial balance of rights at the heart of media law was one of its strongest appeals to me.

As the leading specialist set in the field 5RB was a natural choice.

This was confirmed by my first-hand experience working on cases which involved 5RB members, as Lord Justice Singh’s Judicial Assistant. Working on Banks v Cadwalladr [2023] EWCA Civ 219 and Wright v McCormack [2023] EWCA Civ 892 highlighted the calibre of members and quality of work.

What one thing prepared you best for pupillage?

My work as a legal researcher for several barristers and judges.

As a researcher, I worked on both live cases and practitioner texts in a range of legal areas. I gained applied experience of written advocacy, client conferences and developed my knowledge base. In these roles, I worked closely with and benefited from feedback from different lawyers with different styles.

What other preparation would have been useful?

Although I mooted and volunteered in advice roles before pupillage, I would have liked to get some live advocacy in tribunals to further bolster my confidence.

What’s the best thing about pupillage?

Pupillage offers a unique combination of training, exposure to interesting work and feedback.

During pupillage, you learn from the best to develop a strong foundation in your area of interest, both by active training and learning through osmosis by being brought onto interesting cases. Further, the culture of regular feedback allows you to develop constantly.

What’s the worst?

As a pupil, the underlying concern about being taken on as a tenant is a tricky part of the process.

Having said that, everyone in Chambers is encouraging and tries to put you at ease as much as possible.

Focusing on learning and developing over the year, rather than agonising over the end result, seems like a much better approach.

Was pupillage what you were expecting?

Largely yes, but I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of active training and teaching.

What advice would you give to potential applicants?

Keep your eyes open for relevant opportunities.

A few days before the written deadline for pupillage applications, I spotted a vacancy for a copy-editor role on a media law book. Whilst I only got the job after the pupillage application deadline, this experience of working through the entirety of a book on the field served me in very good stead in interview.

How do you stay up to date in this area?

I keep up to date by following the news and cases from the Media and Communications List. There are also great websites which provide helpful summaries of the big cases and issues in the areas, such as Inforrm, law firm blogs and, of course, the resources section of the 5RB website.