Congratulations to everyone celebrating a pupillage offer today. It's a massive achievement you've worked so hard for; enjoy it! Commiserations to everyone who didn't make it. It's a tough day. I'm a bit skeptical how much a twitter thread can help, but for what it's worth...

For context, I made basically two multi-year runs at pupillage and a career at the independent Bar. First, just out of Bar School and then again after about five years Free Representation Unit (FRU). Didn't make it. Also, obviously, saw a lot of volunteers go through the process.

My basic view is that there is a very small % of people who are simply genuinely brilliant and bound to get pupilage. Although my experience is that they're as stressed / terrified as everyone else.

But most successful applicants aren't much different to many of the people who didn't get it. There is a lot of luck, because there are lots of good people applying for a small number of places.

When distinctions between candidates are small, it comes down to small things. And there is a lot of luck in having everything line up. A good interview day + a legal question in your wheelhouse + Toughest competitor decides they prefer another Chambers = Success!

You could have exactly the same factors spread over three different chambers and three panels will conclude that you're an excellent candidate -- but just a step behind other excellent candidates.

That's where the rule of thumb that if you're getting interviews, you have a good chance to make it in the end comes from. You're rolling the dice and waiting for the cards to come out in the right order. I do think that's broadly right.

Nearly two decades on, not getting pupillage remains one of the most significant events of my life. I can still recall, in excruciating detail, some of the interviews. Life would no doubt be very different if I'd spent the last decade or so or so in independent practice.

Proud as punch to go to the Palace last week with my co-parent Isabelle Trowler CBE (and our wonderful young men) to pick up her gong 🥇 #Investiture

Whatever you think of Assisted Dying, the *last* thing it should be is “rushed through”. This would be a very significant step which needs incredibly robust safeguards or the horrors of Canada and the Low Countries will definitely repeat here.

I made my BBC documentary Better Off Dead? to explain why me & many other disabled people oppose legalising assisted suicide. Some of us have very real fears based on our lived experience & based on what has happened in other countries where it's legal. bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episod…

Less than 3 weeks before it's due to be debated, Kim Leadbeater MP has finally published the text of her assisted suicide bill. It's 38 pages long, has 43 clauses and 6 schedules. MPs will have a maximum of five hours to debate it. bills.parliament.uk/bills/3774/pub…

Highlights: It doesn't prevent doctors from proposing assisted suicide to patients (some of the worst Canadian abuses have originated this way). It doesn't allow doctors to opt out of either discussing assisted suicide or to refer patients to doctors who will do it.

It legalises assisted suicide for patients whose deaths can be reasonably expected within 6 months. But we know from research that doctors trying to predict a 6-month life expectancy often get it wrong. A study has shown that they are wrong two thirds of the time.

The High Court must approve applications. If we use Oregon as a baseline, that means 7,500 assisted suicide in England and Wales per year. There are 18 High Court judges in the Family Division. That comes to 400 applications per judge per year.

There is no duty on a coroner to investigate a death by assisted suicide.

The Secretary of State *must* ensure that assisted suicide is available. He is no under such duty, as far as I know, to provide palliative care to everyone that needs it.

If the High Court refuses to approve assisted suicide, there is a right of appeal to the Court of Appeal. But there is no right to appeal against the High Court's approval of assisted suicide.

It’s lucky we have a famously competent state, a well-funded health service, & courts with plenty of time on their hands, or I’d be worrying that this is a terrible decision

Excellent from Oliver Lewis. Let’s hope Wes Streeting reads it too.