Readership

Our next available intake is for May and September 2027. Applications must be submitted on or before Friday, 28 November 2025. If you are considering applying, we encourage you to contact our Clerk ahead of the deadline to discuss your application.

In some circumstances, applications may be considered, and readership positions offered, before the deadline. 

Applications should be made by email to the Chair of the Readers’ Committee, Robert Yezerski SC, and the Clerk, Jeh Coutinho.

A cover letter, CV and academic transcript, any other relevant information you wish to have considered, and the names and contact details of at least two referees that can be contacted by our Readership Committee. It is particularly helpful to have referees with detailed knowledge of your practical experience. Your application should also note if you have a preference for commencing in the May or September intake.

Promptly after the application window closes, candidates selected for interviews will be contacted to arrange an interview. Interviews are typically conducted very shortly after the application deadline closes.

Interviews are usually conducted in the days after the deadline closes, so please plan your availability accordingly. While it is generally our practice to await the deadline before interviewing candidates, please let our Clerk know if there are personal circumstances that may warrant an early interview. 

Offers are generally made as soon as possible after the deadline has passed and interviews have been conducted. We understand that candidates may be attending multiple interviews and may face difficult choices. We will try to let you know where we stand as soon as possible. However, if you need a response sooner than when we said we would provide one (either about whether an interview will be offered or whether an offer of readership will be made), please contact our Clerk.

Banco Chambers has 4 reader spaces. The spaces are centrally located in the chambers, and each reader sits for six months on each of our two floors to maximise their exposure to our other barristers. 

No. This accommodation is provided at no cost to the reader for the duration of their readership.

Banco Chambers has 9 licensee rooms. They are generously sized, and centrally located in our Chambers. Typically, at the conclusion of the readership year a reader will be offered licensee accommodation for at least 12 months for which a monthly licence fee applies.

Banco Chambers’ readers are encouraged to have one tutor from Banco Chambers, and a second tutor from another chambers. Our Clerk and Readership Committee would be pleased to assist new and prospective barristers in identifying suitable tutors to enhance their readership experience. Please contact our Clerk if you would like assistance in identifying a suitable Banco tutor. 

Banco Chambers is invested in our readership program. Our Readership Committee is comprised of 6 members of Chambers from across its seniority spectrum in order to give candidates a broad impression of our Chambers. Readers at Banco Chambers will be offered our support and resources to assist with the establishment of a successful practice at the Bar, including:

1. the support of our Clerk and our members in getting work;
2. free accommodation in the readership year;
3. informal mentoring;
4. access to legal research resources at no cost;
5. a parental leave policy; and
6. the collegiate and “open door” approach of our members which assists new barristers in the development of their legal skills and practice.