Be more Silk-Like
Given that the King’s Counsel Panel “are looking for evidence of strong and consistent excellence across all of the competencies”, it’s surprising how many brilliant senior juniors doubt their own brilliance, or struggle to articulate it. This is particularly so when the panel guidance is clear: applicants “need to tell them not what you did but how you did it”. It’s the difference between describing the facts of your week – the days in court, what court, which judge etc – and articulating instead what you actually did. What was your impact on the case and how did you influence a certain outcome or result?
Pep Talk
It might just be that you need that little pep talk to know “you’ve got this” when it comes to applying, or to know where to come to guide you through that process. In this mini-blog series, Part 1, published 2 April 2026, offers guidance on both the mindset and planning required to get to the stage of readiness to consider applying. Here, in Part 2 we get to grips with the process itself – how to tackle the nuts and bolts of the form, understanding and evidencing the competencies, and articulating those successfully, both on the form and indeed at interview. This stage is particularly important now given the deadline for submitting applications is fast approaching – Friday, 24th April.
Let’s crack on then. Plenty still to get through.
1. The Assessment Process
If you aren’t already aware, the KC panel consider applications on a competency-based assessment. And if you are yet to get familiar with the 5 competencies, the sooner you do, the better. By the end of the process, you will be pretty much living and breathing them all, which are:
- Understanding and applying the law
- Advocacy Excellence, both oral and written
- Working with others, often considered the “Leadership” section
- Diversity Action and Inclusion
- Integrity
2. Applying the STAR model to a competency-based assessment process
Before going into specific competencies, a word on the STAR model. Again, if you aren’t yet familiar with it, you need to be. It’s a method often used in application processes to helpfully draw out a candidates specific input into a particular work-related task or, specifically here, case. It’s used to help best describe your input or influence on it, and the consequent outcomes. It stands for
- Situation
- Task
- Action
- Result
It’s recommended that, when describing your example, you allow just 10% on the S, T and R but give 70% attention to Action.
By way of example, in the Practice Summary, which includes a short description of your 12 chosen cases, let’s see if you can discern a textbook description:
“Led a junior barrister against 2 silks. Acting for [client description] who sustained serious [named] injuries. Complex medical evidence with apparently conflicting evidence re. [particular issue]. My analysis of the [person’s] evidence adopted by judge in making findings”
Meanwhile, here’s how not to do it: “Significant ongoing claim pleaded [high value] by [X] who suffered a [named] injury from [Y]. For D.”
The latter leaves the reader asking “So what?” and “What did you actually do?” which is to be avoided at all costs.
3. Specific competencies
Get familiar with the most up to date KC Panel Guidance for Applicants. Carefully consider the requirements of each of the competencies. It’s very comprehensive, so only a brief overview here:
Legal Knowledge
You’ll need to evidence using the latest case law or judgments in cases and applying them correctly. Also getting up to speed on, and becoming familiar with, new areas of law effectively to achieve mastery in a short space of time. The examples should be legally rather than factually complex, so could still be a small point, as long as it is important or sensitive.
Written and Oral Advocacy
Get Creative
Certain practitioners, for example in personal injury work, have a paper or desk based practice. It’s still imperative to provide evidence of oral advocacy, ideally in a contested setting. You need to provide sufficient evidence of consistent excellence. This is when you may need to get creative in finding persuasive examples.
Enlisting Support
Going back to Part 1, think who you may need to enlist to support you on this. How else might you get creative around it? For example, where you junior on a big case, ask your leader to take a witness for cross-examination. Perhaps you could even do part of the closing on a discrete issue, or contested legal application.
Others Ideas
Other things to consider include:
- Going to court more, on a range of matters. Ask your clerks to help. For example, one applicant sought help from clerks. They then rang 5-10 solicitors, saying they had someone “silk ready” and needed help with obtaining experience in certain cases that would go to contested trial. Seek those instructing solicitors out to include on form too.
- Target an area of slightly different work where necessary. Consider specific niches which may also help.
- Consider working for the Government as part of your silk strategy (albeit at a low rate if needs be). Take a calculated approach to the knock-on financial implications, so only do so for either 1 day a month or one month a year, depending on how you can make it work. A government panel appointment provides opportunity for good quality work and can often be considered a kitemark for advocacy excellence.
- Work pro bono through, for example, CLIPS, the Chancery Bar Association’s flagship pro bono scheme, albeit open to wider groups, providing assistance to judges daily in the applications Court.
- Secure a Door Tenancy at a (London) Chambers with a reputation for (a) the type of work you need and (b) successful silk applications.
- Improve your advocacy through reading, podcasts, talks, CPD, teaching advocacy to pupils or students at your Inn; watch Supreme Court/ Court of Appeal live streams etc. Reflect on, and improve, your own style
Working with Others
Have a good read of the guidance on this competency because, despite the title, it’s actually more about leadership than working well with others. Consider examples of how you have consistently commanded the court’s confidence. Think about how you demonstrate an ability to lead others, together with taking the initiative, and been adaptable, when it comes to style and language, to suit a particular situation.
Diversity Action and Understanding
Long gone are the box-ticking exercises on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion. You will not only need to provide good evidence of actions you have taken which have had specific and tangible outcomes in this area, but also be prepared to answer questions on it at interview. It will inevitably be brought up. It’s important to know about Chambers and Bar Council policies. But what’s most required is evidence that you personally are actively promoting EDI, walking your talk.
(For those still struggling to differentiate, using the “shoe analogy”, equality is giving everyone a pair of shoes of the same size. Diversity is giving everyone a pair of shoes which fit their shoe size individually. Inclusion is not caring whether people wear shoes on their feet or not!)
Integrity
Given this is such a fundamental professional standard, it’s assumed this standard is met unless there is evidence to the contrary. Hence it’s not necessary to set out any examples of how you meet this particular competency.
4. Interviews
Preparation is Key
Since I dedicate whole coaching programmes to this part of the process, I’ll take it only briefly here. But just as with anything in life, preparation is key. Start by getting to know your panel. You can read about all the characters you may encounter in the interview, both legal and lay members, to suss out who you are dealing with.
Mind your Mindset
Going in to the interview with the right mindset is also critical. This applies both before and as you step into the room, and indeed throughout. Think how you need to get into peak state to perform at your best, and whilst answering be mindful of your tone, breathing and so on.
STAR Performer
Be prepared to answer questions on every competency, and have examples ready on each. Guidance is given about the length of your answers, 2 mins recommended maximum. Again keep STAR in mind to ensure you don’t get carried away talking about irrelevant details about particular cases which have absolutely no bearing on what you yourself did to influence a particular result or outcome. Longer answers than that and you’ll loose the panel; shorter, and you’ll likely have missed an opportunity to provide some good evidence of excellence. Worth thinking in your head after every answer you give of the little mantra “…and that is why I am excellent”. Be ready for follow up questions too.
Practice makes Progress
Do a mock interview. Practice giving certain answers beforehand by pre-recording yourself and viewing it back. It might be toe curling, but will definitely also insightful. Better to approach this process with a growth mindset and do all the self- criticism and development before, rather than during, the real thing!
The Importance of Confidence and Resilience
Most important, back yourself to succeed, whilst being mindful that any perceived setback is learning rather than failure. Resilience is key.
Part 2 of this mini-series is intended to provide a more detailed analysis of the application process, in particular around the form, competencies, and of course the interview. You can read more about how to find the impetus to get started in Part 1, available here: Part 1 Link
For more information on the silk support available, download the free Applying for Silk resource available here: https://nikkialdersoncoaching.com/free-downloads/