One Essex Court is a leading set of barristers’ Chambers, specialising in commercial litigation and arbitration. Our work embraces all aspects of domestic and international trade, commerce and finance.

OEC are offering a mentoring scheme to give students the opportunity to connect with a female barrister who can share their experiences and provide career guidance.

The scheme will run during the 2019/2020 academic year. Each mentee will be paired with a female barrister from One Essex Court who will act as their mentor. The scheme includes the following opportunities:

• One-to-one mentoring meetings through the course of the year
• A skills afternoon to build on application, interview and advocacy skills
• A summer drinks party for all mentors and mentees

Applications are welcome from students in any year of undergraduate or postgraduate study and any discipline. OEC welcome applications from students of any gender, although applicants will be asked why they feel they will particularly benefit from a female mentor. They particularly welcome applications from those under-represented at the Commercial Bar, including people of minority ethnic origin, people with disabilities, LGBT+ people, and people who attended state schools or were the first in their family to attend university.

The meetings between mentee and mentor can take place in person or virtually, depending on what is convenient to both. The skills afternoon and summer drinks party will take place in London, at or near Chambers. We will reimburse mentees’ reasonable travel expenses.

The application form can be downloaded from the OEC website and must be submitted by 12 noon on 25 October 2019. Consideration will be given to all applications received by that date and up to 20 successful applications will be selected.  Successful applicants will be notified by email by 1 November 2019.