Our Pupils (trainee barristers)

Louise Hartley

Prior to embarking on her degree Louise worked as a barristers' clerk. She then went on to read Law at King's College London before being awarded a Harmsworth Scholarship to study for the Bar Vocational Course at the College of Law. She was called to the Bar in 2008.

Whilst waiting to begin pupillage Louise worked as a paralegal at Hickman & Rose Solicitors, where she gained useful experience in actions against the police and assisted on several high profile inquests involving deaths in custody. During this time, Louise wrote a case report on the inquest into the death of Godfrey Moyo which is due for publication in a forthcoming edition of Inquest Law magazine.

In 2007 Louise undertook an internship at a small Arizona practice specialising in capital defence cases, where she was involved in drafting briefs and motions, conducting client interviews, and carrying out legal research into case law, which in one instance led an appeal court judge to overturn an earlier ruling. Her work also included drafting of subpoenas and assisting with the preparation of documents for a clemency board hearing. During her internship Louise wrote two articles entitled ‘Is DNA the key to Rehnquist's Conundrum', and ‘Experiences of Death Row - Life as a Voluntary Intern in the USA', which were published in the Amicus Journal and the Middle Templar magazine.

Christopher Grout

Christopher read law at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, before completing the Bar Vocational Course at the College of Law, London. He was called to the Bar in 2007. Throughout his studies, Christopher enjoyed participating in mooting winning various competitions including the prestigious Oxford University Press National Mooting Competition in 2005. In 2006, Christopher was made President of the Inner Temple Mooting Society.

Christopher is committed to Pro Bono work and provides regular advice and assistance to ‘Pro Bono in the LMC', a free legal advice clinic based in Whitechapel. He helped to organise the well-reported lecture, given by the then Lord Chief Justice, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, on ‘Equality in Justice' and, more recently, the lecture given by Sir Mark Potter, President of the Family Division, on the topic of ‘Forced Marriages'.

Prior to commencing pupillage, Christopher worked for the Ministry of Justice. Specifically, he worked in the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) dealing with applications seeking leave to appeal, as well as the substantive appeals themselves. Christopher also has experience working with young offenders and in dealing with youth crime generally, having worked as part of the Youth Offending Team whilst living in Newcastle.

Christopher is a member of the Criminal Bar Association and the Ecclesiastical Law Society and started his own court work in October 2009. He was recently a speaker at one of 15 New Bridge Street's CPD-accredited seminars, on the topic of the inner workings of the Criminal Appeal Office.

News: Upcoming Seminars

Robert Rooney

Robert worked for four years in the City of London before pursuing a career in the legal profession. He obtained a First Class degree in Law and during his studies he won a place in the final of the Oxford University Press National Mooting Competition. In 2005, Robert undertook an internship at a law firm in California where he was involved in the preparation of a Death Row appeal case.

Robert was awarded a scholarship from the Inner Temple and completed the Bar Vocational Course at Nottingham Law School. He was called to the Bar in 2007.

Prior to commencing pupillage Robert worked as a paralegal at a leading firm of London solicitors where he was involved in a wide variety of criminal and regulatory cases. Robert also gained experience working as a solicitor's agent when he was regularly instructed to appear in possession actions, charging orders and infant settlements.

Robert is a member of the Criminal Bar Association and the Young Fraud Lawyers Association. He will be able to accept instructions from April 2009.

Jodie Hitchcock

Having read Law and French Law at the University of Exeter, Jodie-Jane went on to spend a year at the Université de Rennes 1, France, where she studied for a "maîtrise en droit européen".

Jodie completed the Bar Vocational Course at BPP in London and was called to the Bar in 2006. As part of her Pro Bono work during her BVC year, Jodie-Jane acted as Student Director for the Personal Support Unit, a charity-based organisation providing help and assistance to Litigants-in-Person at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Prior to commencing pupillage Jodie-Jane first worked as an outdoor clerk before joining Shaw Graham Kersh Solicitors as a paralegal where her duties involved advising clients, undertaking casework and attending Crown Court proceedings. Throughout this period she also volunteered as a Youth Offender Panel Member with the Hertfordshire Youth Justice Service.

Jodie began pupillage in October 2008 and looks forward to starting her own court work in April 2009.