Speed Mooting Podcast - Training tomorrow's lawyers, today!

It's Episode 133 of Partners in Crime, and John and Hayley are celebrating the biggest Northern Pupillage Fair yet! With 1,367 registrations, a record number of exhibitors and a packed programme of talks, they reflect on what made this year's event so special and why improving access to the Bar remains at the heart of Speed Mooting. They also discuss finding legal work experience, breaking down barriers in the profession and the incredible feedback they received from attendees. Plus, in the listener Q&A, would you rather be feared, liked or respected as a lawyer? And would John really give up his career at the criminal Bar rather than own an electric car? Another episode full of legal insights, honest conversations and the usual John and Hayley banter!

Can you get a mortgage during pupillage or early practice? In the second instalment of our Northern Pupillage Fair 2026 talk series, Kem from Henry Dannell discusses borrowing as a barrister, preparing your finances and presenting self-employed income to lenders. He also explores financial protection and the importance of human relationships alongside technology.

John Dove reunites with the solicitor who gave him his first big break: Marcus Johnstone, Managing Director of PCD Solicitors. From being told he wasn’t clever enough to sit school exams to building specialist law firms, Marcus shares his unconventional route into criminal defence and the lessons he learned along the way. They discuss defending serious sexual offence allegations, the importance of early investigation and expert evidence, and the human impact of criminal proceedings. Marcus also offers practical advice for aspiring lawyers on finding a specialism, researching employers and showing the value you can bring to a firm. An honest conversation about confidence, taking risks, learning from setbacks and understanding the business behind legal practice. Content note: This episode includes discussion of sexual offences, suicide and strong language.

From copying in the boss to blunt emails and being rude to support staff, John and Hayley share their biggest legal workplace icks. We also discuss what would make us reject a pupillage or training contract candidate, including arrogance, entitlement and poor work ethic, and answer a listener’s question: would we want our child to become a lawyer?

How can you put yourself in a stronger position to secure pupillage? Recorded at Speed Mooting’s Northern Pupillage Fair, BPP’s Nigel Jamieson shares practical advice on developing advocacy skills, gaining relevant experience and showing chambers what you can bring to the profession. Learn how to make the most of mini-pupillages, court visits and networking, tailor your applications, and draw on experiences outside law to demonstrate your strengths. With thanks to BPP, our headline sponsor , for supporting the Northern Pupillage Fair and sharing their expertise with aspiring barristers.

Rejection is part of almost every legal career, but that doesn’t make it any easier. In Episode 131, John and Hayley share their own experiences of pupillage and training contract rejection, what they learned from the process and why getting knocked back doesn’t mean you won’t eventually get where you want to be. They discuss seeking feedback, improving your applications, dealing with the disappointment of reaching the final stages and the role that subjectivity can play in recruitment. Plus, they answer your mooting questions, including why mooting matters for aspiring barristers, preparing for your first moot and the common mistakes judges notice straight away

If you could change one thing about the route to becoming a lawyer, what would it be? In Episode 130, John and Hayley discuss what they would change about qualifying for the legal profession if they were given the power to redesign the process. They explore the financial cost of qualification, whether postgraduate training should be linked more closely to securing pupillage or a training contract, the possibility of greater flexibility during pupillage, and the move from the LPC to the SQE. We then turn to your questions, including what advice we would give to someone applying for pupillage or a training contract for the first time, dealing with rejection during application season, and what aspiring lawyers can do to strengthen their applications. Finally, John shares his experience of staying calm when something unexpected happens in court, including why preparation, managing client expectations and experience are so important when things don't quite go to plan. A useful listen for aspiring barristers, future solicitors, law students and anyone currently navigating the route into the legal profession.

In this episode of Speed Mooting: Conversations with Counsel , John Dove is joined by Charlie Hayward, Senior Crown Prosecutor with the Crown Prosecution Service . Charlie takes us through his journey into law, from becoming part of one of the country's first solicitor apprenticeship programmes to qualifying as a solicitor and ultimately moving into criminal advocacy with the CPS. They discuss what life as a Senior Crown Prosecutor actually involves, the realities of courtroom advocacy, evidence-in-chief and cross-examination, working with witnesses, making difficult charging decisions and the responsibility that comes with prosecuting criminal cases. Charlie also shares his advice for aspiring lawyers, including the importance of getting into court, learning by watching other advocates, saying yes to opportunities and pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone. If you're considering a solicitor apprenticeship, training contract, pupillage or a career in criminal law, there's plenty to take away from this conversation. Follow Speed Mooting: Partners in Crime so you never miss an episode.

Would you rather forget your authorities or call the judge by the wrong title? And would you prefer a nightmare client or a nightmare opponent? This week, John and Hayley play Would You Rather: Advocate Edition , tackling some of the awkward situations advocates can find themselves facing in court. What starts as a bit of fun soon leads to a very honest discussion about life in legal practice, as John shares his experiences of dealing with difficult opponents and explains why sometimes the best thing you can do is stop arguing and take the issue before the judge. They also answer your questions, including how to build the confidence to approach lawyers at networking events and if someone hoping to become a criminal barrister should study straight Law or Law with Criminology. Plus, John and Hayley share a message from a former Speed Mooting competitor who has recently secured pupillage and credited the experience with helping to rebuild their confidence as an advocate. Expect practical advice, courtroom stories, networking disasters and, inevitably, a John Dove rant. Follow Partners in Crime so you never miss an episode.

How do experienced advocates deal with nerves? How much of good advocacy is preparation versus thinking on your feet? And what keeps you going when your legal career isn't progressing the way you'd hoped? In Episode 128, John and Hayley answer more questions from the Speed Mooting community. John shares his advice for managing nerves before court and public speaking, explains the different purposes of opening and closing speeches, and discusses why preparation is at the heart of successful advocacy. They also reflect on their own experiences of rejection while trying to qualify, including unsuccessful training contract and pupillage applications, frustrating feedback, and the moments when they both considered taking their careers in a completely different direction.

Are you overlooking some of your most valuable experience when applying for opportunities in law? In Episode 127, John and Hayley look at how experiences such as working in retail and observing in court can give aspiring lawyers a wealth of transferable skills to discuss in applications and interviews. They also answer a question from a Year 12 student about how to stand out when applying to study law at university, before turning to advocacy and discussing how barristers stay calm when things don’t go to plan in court. John shares a real example from practice where a judge immediately rejected part of his sentencing argument and explains how experience helps advocates adapt, pivot and approach the case from a different angle.

What does an expert witness actually do, and what should junior lawyers know about working with one? John Dove is joined by Joanne Lowe, Expert Witness Service Lead at Harrison Associates and an occupational therapist with 30 years of experience, for a fascinating look inside the world of medico-legal expert evidence. Joanne explains the role occupational therapists play in personal injury and clinical negligence litigation, what goes into a quantum report, how claimant and defendant experts approach their work, and what happens when experts meet to identify areas of agreement and disagreement. They also discuss the importance of expert independence, what solicitors and barristers should consider when selecting an expert witness, common mistakes made by new experts and how technology and AI could shape the future of expert evidence. A particularly useful episode for law students, aspiring barristers, trainee solicitors and junior lawyers looking to understand how expert evidence works in practice

Do you need the right accent, background or connections to succeed in law? In Episode 126 of the Speed Mooting: Partners in Crime Podcast, John and Hayley look back at the things they worried about as law students, from having a Scouse accent and coming from a state-school background to entering the legal profession without family connections, and explain why those concerns mattered far less than they expected. They also answer listener questions on moving from conveyancing into litigation, transferable legal skills and changing practice areas. Finally, John gives an insight into life as a criminal barrister, explaining the difference between legal aid and privately funded work, how funding affects a barrister’s caseload and the realities of managing income, tax and VAT at the self-employed Bar. An episode packed with practical legal career advice for law students, aspiring barristers, aspiring solicitors and anyone trying to break into the legal profession.

How do you make the most of a pupillage fair? In Episode 125 of Speed Mooting: Partners in Crime , John and Hayley share their practical advice for law students and aspiring barristers attending pupillage and law fairs. We discuss how to research chambers before the event, what to say when approaching exhibitors, questions worth asking, making a good impression, taking useful notes and following up with new connections afterwards. With the Northern Pupillage Fair 2026 just around the corner, we also explain how to get the most from the day and why these events can be valuable when preparing for future pupillage applications. Plus, we answer your advocacy questions: what makes a well-presented case, and what makes a good advocate? A practical episode for law students, Bar students, aspiring barristers and anyone looking to develop their advocacy skills and build a career in law.

Episode 124 — #AskSpeedSquadSpecial. John and Hayley answer your listener questions, covering the big topics law students actually want to know about. This week: should mooting and advocacy skills be compulsory on every law degree? How much preparation really goes into a court hearing (the honest answer might surprise you)? And what's the best piece of career advice John and Hayley have ever been given — including the career-defining moment a commercial partner told an 18-year-old John he hadn't got a clue what commercial law actually was, and the trainee pep talk Hayley's never forgotten. Real experience, no filter — from a criminal barrister and a commercial solicitor who've both been through the paralegal, training contract, and qualification grind. Send your questions to info@speedmooting.com or drop them in the comments.

Is working as a paralegal the best first step into the legal profession? In this episode, John and Hayley discuss why their years as paralegals became some of the most valuable experiences of their legal careers. They explain how working in practice develops the skills, confidence and commercial awareness that universities simply cannot teach. The conversation also explores the reality of life inside law firms, the myths created by TV dramas, and how paralegal experience can strengthen applications for pupillage and training contracts. As always, they finish by answering listener questions, including whether barristers can lie in court, what happens during legal arguments heard in chambers, and who will be the stricter parent when their first baby arrives. If you're an aspiring or junior lawyer looking to build your career, this episode is full of practical advice and honest insight from two lawyers who've been through the journey themselves.

Conversations with Counsel - Havin Sorgucu, Durham Law Student & Speed Mooting Ambassador Havin Sorgucu had a magistrate tell her she had a talent for advocacy at sixteen — then lost all her confidence when she got to university. In this episode, she shares how she rebuilt it, why she turned to Speed Mooting as a low-pressure place to start, and what it was like doing real plea in mitigation advocacy as an undergraduate. She also talks about mentoring aspiring law students through Zero Gravity and has brilliant advice for anyone yet to start their law degree. Visit speedmooting.com to get involved.

Three years of lectures, seminars, and case law and somehow no one tells you how a real case actually works. In this episode, John (criminal barrister) and Hayley (commercial solicitor) go through the biggest gaps between law school and legal practice: the advocacy skills universities rarely teach, the soft skills and client care that catch junior lawyers off guard, and why being confident on the phone will take you further than you think. They also answer a listener question that comes up more than almost any other: can you become a barrister or solicitor if you're shy or introverted? The answer might surprise you. Plus — upcoming Speed Mooting events including the Northern Pupillage Fair on 5th September, a free Skeleton Arguments workshop, and an online advocacy bootcamp focused on bail applications and plea in mitigation. Send your questions to info@speedmooting.com or DM us on any platform.

In this Ask Speed Squad special, John and Hayley answer your questions on three of the most common challenges facing aspiring lawyers: 🎙️ I've applied for 30 training contracts and had no interviews — what should I do? 🎙️ Should candidates be upfront about weaknesses in a legal interview? 🎙️ I failed a module — is my legal career over? Practical, honest advice for law students, bar course and LPC/SQE students, and anyone applying for training contracts or pupillage. Got a question? Email info@speedmooting.com or DM us on social. #AskSpeedSquad #LegalCareers #TrainingContract #Pupillage #LawStudent

Nobody teaches you this in law school — but it might matter more than anything you studied. In episode 120, John and Hayley break down what it actually means to be a client-friendly lawyer: how to read the room with different clients, how the best lawyers handle costs transparency, and how to manage expectations before they become complaints. These are the skills that get you recommended, retained, and remembered. Then in Ask Speed Squad: an honest conversation about what's really changed in the profession since they qualified — AI, flexible working, the courts going digital, and what senior lawyers are quietly saying about the juniors coming through right now. Plus one legal myth the public just won't let go of. Whether you're still chasing your training contract or pupillage, or you're a junior finding your feet in practice — this episode is worth your hour. Send questions for Ask Speed Squad to info@speedmooting.com or DM us on socials.