Cara Hall

Cara, a Barrister at Doughty Street Chambers specializing in housing law, graduated in 2018 with an LLB in Law. After exploring roles in commercial property, legal editing, and housing legal aid, she completed her Bar Course and secured tenancy at Doughty Street Chambers following her pupillage.

Cara's time at Kent was pivotal, particularly her module on homelessness law and her extensive participation in mooting, including representing Kent in Tokyo. 

 
Tell us about your career path since graduation.

After I graduated, I tried a few different roles and practice areas to help me figure out what I wanted to do. My first job was as a commercial property paralegal at a firm in Kent, where I worked for a year. I then worked as a Legal Editor for a Company law website for a year. Between 2020 and 2023, I worked as a Housing Caseworker at Citizens Advice in Kent, doing a broad range of housing legal aid work: I loved this job. During this time, I also undertook the Bar Course part-time. I was called to the Bar in October 2022, and undertook my pupillage at Doughty Street Chambers between October 2023 and September 2024, at which time I was offered tenancy at Doughty Street Chambers where I specialise in housing law.

What does a typical work day look like for you?

Life as a barrister is extremely varied and I'm not sure there is such a thing as a 'typical work day'! Some days I'm in Chambers drafting paperwork and other's I'm in a totally different part of the country conducting a trial!

Can you share a professional highlight from your career so far?

A professional highlight of my career so far has been the case of E v The London Borough of Lambeth (Wandsworth County Court, 17 April 2024), where I obtained damages for my client of over £30k for disrepair, including damages equivalent to 90% of the rent for the period that her property was unfit for human habitation. Fitness for human habitation is a developing area, and it was exciting to get a key judgment in a case in this area so early on in my career.

How did your time at Kent help you achieve your current career?

I think my time at Kent helped in three key ways:1. The broad choice of modules at Kent allowed me to study things I found interesting, and this in turn helped me do well in my degree. I studied a module on homelessness law and policy in my final year and now I undertake work in this area!2. Kent is a critical law school, and this taught me to approach the law in critical way, which I continue to do in my practice today.3. Kent has a brilliant mooting programme which allowed me to get a taste for a career at the Bar. While at Kent, I took part in ten different moots, including reaching the semi-final in Landmark Chambers Property Law Moot, and representing Kent in Tokyo in the annual LAWASIA Moot.

What advice would you give to our current/prospective students who are looking to get into the same line of work?

My four main pieces of advice are:

1. Study modules that you find interesting, not the modules you think you should study for employment reasons. Similarly, participate in Societies you find interesting, don't just take part in the Law Socs!
2. Take part in mooting: it is the only way to know if a career at the Bar is for you.
3. Don't rush! Having other jobs before coming to the Bar will help you get to the Bar as well as make you a better barrister when you get there. 
4. Believe in yourself: getting pupillage is extremely competitive but you need to believe you can do it so that chambers will!

Did you get involved in any extracurricular activities as a student?

As mentioned above, I did a ton of mooting at Kent. I was also involved in Kent's LGBT Society where I was Social Secretary during my second year and President in my final year. I was lucky enough to receive the Lasting Impact Award from Kent Union for my work for the Society.

Do you have a favourite memory from your time at Kent?

I really had such a wonderful time at Kent and it is hard to pick just one memory. But I think my favourite has to be my trip to Tokyo to represent Kent at the annual LAWASIA mooting competition: it was an absolutely extraordinary experience and to this day I feel so lucky to have been selected for the team.

Is there anything you would do differently if you could repeat your time at Kent?

I wouldn't have left the writing of my dissertation to the last minute! It was so stressful and I had to submit it unfinished....fortunately everything turned out alright and I rather cheekily received an award for best dissertation at graduation!

Overall, I wouldn't change a thing. It was a blast.

Are you still in touch with other Kent alumni or academics?

I regularly come back to Kent to judge mooting, including having to come back for three years to judge the KLS Triathlon.

I met my partner in my final year of University, so we are of course still in touch! We now live together with our two cats.

What are your future ambitions?

My ambition for so long was to get to the Bar: now I've done that, my future ambitions are in my personal life and include buying a house and getting married.

Professionally, I wish to continue to develop my knowledge in my practice area. One day, I would like to become a Deputy District Judge.