Volunteering - The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple

The Education & Training Department organises numerous events each year for
prospective members, students, pupils, junior barristers and experienced
practitioners. This would not be possible without the hard work and support of our
members who devote their time and energy on behalf of the Inner Temple. The
following will provide some further information on the volunteering opportunities in
which you can become involved.
General
1. General
2. Dining Nights
3. Scholarship Interviews
Recruitment & Outreach
1. Dinner to the Universities
2. Dinners for Legal Academics
3. Regional Receptions & Local University Contacts
4. Royal Courts of Justice Open Day
5. Schools Project
6. University Presentations & Question and Answer Day
7. Visits to Chambers
Training & Professional Development
1. Advocacy Training
2. Education Days
3. Group Leaders & Judges on Student Weekends
4. Local Qualifying Sessions
5. Marshalling Scheme
6. Mentoring Scheme
7. Mock Interview Scheme
8. Mooting and Debating
9. Playing Counsel and Witness
10. Police Liaison Scheme Marshalling
11. Pupillage Advice Evening
For general details on any of the events and schemes listed, please contact:
Education & Training Department, The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple,
Treasury Building, Inner Temple, London EC4Y 7HL
Tel: 020 7797 8208 - Email: education@innertemple.org.uk
www.innertemple.org.uk

GENERAL
GENERAL
If you would like to volunteer generally for any Education & Training activities
requiring members, we will store your contact details for when an activity requires
someone of your experience.
Contact: Francesca Ellis (020 7797 8207, fellis@innertemple.org.uk).
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
DINING NIGHTS
Each year the Inn hosts approximately 20 Dining Nights, which are accredited
as Qualifying Sessions for students and gives them the opportunity to meet and talk
with experienced barristers and judges of the Inn. The collegiate value of these
events cannot be underestimated. We would therefore like to encourage as many of
our members as possible to dine regularly and give the benefit of their professional
experience to the Inn’s student members. Dining nights are listed in the Diary of
Events and in the members’ section of the website.
Contact: Kate Peters (020 7797 8183, kpeters@innertemple.org.uk) to book onto a
particular dining night.
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
SCHOLARSHIP INTERVIEWS
The Inner Temple’s ambition is to ensure that no one with the necessary talent is
prevented from coming to the Bar due to financial need alone. To this end, the Inn
offers funds in excess of £1 million annually to be distributed as Scholarships and
Exhibitions, mostly for Bar training and law conversion awards.
For the last several years, we have pledged to interview all eligible applicants for the
BPTC (formerly BVC) and law conversion awards. Awards are made solely at the
discretion of the Scholarships Committee, which means that we are always eager to
have volunteers to sit on interview panels. Interviews are typically held on two
consecutive weekends in March for BPTC awards and over a single weekend in June
for law conversion awards.
Contact: Eamonn O’Reilly (020 7797 8210, eoreilly@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers
(5+ call or
employed)
Judges
Benchers

RECRUITMENT & OUTREACH
DINNER TO THE UNIVERSITIES
Dinner to the Universities is an annual event for undergraduates and students on the
law conversion course who are interested in a career at the Bar. Students from a
wide range of universities are invited to this black tie dinner at the Inn where they
meet practising members and have the opportunity to ask questions about the Bar
and the Inner Temple.
Contact: Anthony Dursi (020 7797 8214, email adursi@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
DINNERS FOR LEGAL ACADEMICS
The Inner Temple holds four small dinners annually for legal academics from
universities across England and Wales. These academics, many of whom are
undergraduate law tutors, are given information on the work of the modern Bar and
how their students can benefit from the opportunities Inner Temple provides for
progressing through various stages of the profession. These dinners will also connect
with initiatives that the Inn is undertaking to building on its academic history. We are
seeking members who are interested in engaging with academics to build stronger
links between higher education institutions and the Inn.
Contact: Anthony Dursi (020 7797 8214, email adursi@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
REGIONAL RECEPTIONS AND LOCAL UNIVERSITY CONTACTS
In addition to the four large university presentations that the Inn runs annually,
smaller receptions are being organised in the Northwest, Northeast and Midlands.
We are seeking members based outside of London who are interested in taking a
lead in regional events or acting as a lead representative for cities outside of London.
In addition, in an effort to reach out to as many capable undergraduate students as
possible, Inner Temple is looking for barristers to act as a liaison to their local
universities. This will require disseminating information to university contacts, making
presentations when needed and acting as the key point of contact for queries from
the institution on the Bar. If you are an alumnus, a member of a governing board, live
in a local university region or have other ties to particular higher education
institutions, we welcome your involvement.
Contact: Anthony Dursi (020 7797 8214, email adursi@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers

ROYAL COURTS OF JUSTICE OPEN DAY
The Inns of Court are asked to take part in the annual Royal Courts of Justice Open
Day, which normally takes place in September. We run talks on the work of
barristers, the judicial system generally as well as mock trials.
Contact: Anthony Dursi (020 7797 8214, email adursi@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
SCHOOLS PROJECT
The Inner Temple Schools Project, launched in 2008, aims to ensure that all
students, regardless of their background, are aware of the opportunities available to
them at the modern Bar and to raise aspirations towards professional careers
generally. Through talks, presentations, workshops and activities, the programme
challenges stereotypes about the profession, provides information about the legal
system of England and Wales and promotes social mobility at the Bar. The project
was launched in conjunction with the National Education Trust (NET), and now also
works with the national Pathways to Law programme.
The programme consists of an annual careers seminar for Greater London school
pupils in years 12 and 13; two afternoon sessions for students on the London
Pathways to Law programme; and an all-day event for non-London Pathways
students. These events include talks from members on different areas of law, plea in
mitigation and case exercises, debating tournaments, visits to Chambers and
opportunities to informally interact with practising barristers.
The Schools Project also works with the Social Mobility Foundation, which each year
runs a Bar Placement Scheme with the Bar Council. This gives comprehensive
school students the opportunity to gain a broad insight into the day-to-day life of a
barrister and an understanding of the legal profession as a whole. In 2012, Inner
Temple is hosting the launch event for the week.
Contact: Anthony Dursi (020 7797 8214, email adursi@innertemple.org.uk) or Amy
Mason (020 7797 8262, email amymason@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
SCHOOLS PROJECT - PLEA IN MITIGATION EXERCISE

UNIVERSITY PRESENTATIONS AND QUESTION AND ANSWER DAY
Four large recruitment presentations are run annually in Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol
and London. Each presentation includes a panel of speakers with a pupil,
Independent Barrister, Employed Barrister and Judge. During the subsequent
receptions, university students have the opportunity to gain further one-to-one advice
from members. ‘Question & Answer Day’, run in conjunction with the Junior Bar
Association, is a more intensive, full-day Sunday event in June for undergraduate
students who wish to learn more on the work of barristers and different areas of law.
We are seeking volunteers to speak at these presentations, run workshops during
Question & Answer Day and to attend the subsequent receptions to speak informally
to university students on life at the Bar.
Contact: Anthony Dursi (020 7797 8214, email adursi@innertemple.org.uk)
Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
LONDON UNIVERSITIES’ PRESENTATION
VISITS TO CHAMBERS
During school and university visits, some participants request visits to Chambers to
see what working in that environment is like. Members show small groups of
students around Chambers and discuss the daily work of clerks, pupils, junior tenants
and more established practitioners.
Contact: Amy Mason (020 7797 8262, email amymason@innertemple.org.uk)
Barristers
Benchers

TRAINING & PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT
SOME EVENTS ARE ACCREDITED WITH CPD. PLEASE CONTACT THE RELEVANT MEMBER OF
STAFF FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
ADVOCACY TRAINING
Advocacy Trainers are established practitioners who are trained to teach advocacy at
Pupil and New Practitioner courses held throughout the year at the Inn and at
residential venues. A potential trainer must attend a weekend training course,
normally held in July or October. Advocacy training is an important and everincreasing
area of activity for the Inn so we are always seeking volunteers.
Contact: Beth Phillips (020 7797 8209, bphillips@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers
(7+ call)
Judges
Benchers
EDUCATION DAYS
The Inn runs two Education Days that usually take place in the first half of the year.
These are for students studying the BPTC at institutions outside London.
Programmes involve talks with practitioners and pupils, mock trials, exercises on
advocacy, discussion groups, demonstration cases and lectures given by leading
legal practitioners.
Contact: David Miller (020 7797 8213, dmiller@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
EDUCATION DAY

GROUP LEADERS AND JUDGES ON STUDENT WEEKENDS
Three residential weekends are organised each year for students studying on the
BPTC. These weekends have specific legal themes and combine advocacy
exercises, demonstration cases and ethics exercises with the guidance of
experienced barristers, judges and Masters of the Bench, offering an excellent
opportunity to learn and gain feedback in an informal setting. We seek volunteers to
assist us on the weekends by leading sessions and guiding students in activities.
Contact: Francesca Ellis (020 7797 8207, fellis@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers
(7+ call)
Judges
Benchers
CUMBERLAND LODGE RESIDENTIAL WEEKEND 2011
LOCAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS
Student members of the Inn at providers outside of London may obtain up to three
Qualifying Session by organising their own institutional sessions. To make this
activity – whether a dinner, moot or lecture – an official Qualifying Session, it must be
attended by at least two practising members of the Inn. Interested members of the
Inn are also invited to attend the local BPTC dinners in Cardiff, Bristol, Newcastle,
Nottingham, Leeds, Birmingham and Manchester (contact the BPTC providers).
Contact: Paul Clark (020 7797 8211, pclark@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
MARSHALLING SCHEME
The Marshalling Scheme enables pupils and students (in the 2 nd half of their BPTC)
to spend a day or days (up to a week) in court with a judge. As a result of the
scheme’s popularity, the Inn is seeking more judges to take part in the Marshalling
Scheme.
Contact: David Miller (020 7797 8213, dmiller@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers

MENTORING SCHEME
The Mentoring Scheme aims to provide students with advice, guidance and a point of
contact during their initial stages of becoming a barrister. Mentors are usually
allocated at the beginning of the academic year and the demand is always very high.
As the student numbers are ever increasing, we are always in need of more
volunteers.
Contact: Paul Clark (020 7797 8211, pclark@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers
(5+ call)
Judges
Benchers
MOCK INTERVIEW SCHEME
This scheme is open to Inner Temple BPTC students applying for a pupillage.
Students are matched up with barristers according to the area of law they wish to
practise and the barrister conducts a mock pupillage interview for the student to gain
experience of what a ‘real’ interview might entail. The barrister is asked to give
feedback to the student on ways of improving their technique following the interview.
Contact: Amy Mason (020 7797 8262, amymason@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers
(5+ call)
Judges
Benchers
MOOTING AND DEBATING
The Inner Temple has very active mooting and debating societies who organise
competitions and training throughout the academic year. We need barristers and
Benchers to help with judging on an ongoing basis. Events are generally held at the
Inn in the evenings during term time. Both societies also hold an IV for between 15
and 25 universities each year, normally over the first weekend in February. Due to
the size of this competition, volunteers for this weekend are particularly welcome.
Contact: Eamonn O’Reilly (020 7797 8210, eoreilly@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
PLAYING COUNSEL AND WITNESS
Volunteers are needed to play counsel and witnesses on courses for advocacy
trainers and mock trials for pupils. Each volunteer can gain Qualifying Sessions in
this way. It is also a good opportunity to gain more advocacy experience and work
with senior members of the Inn.
Contact: David Miller (020 7797 8213, dmiller@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers

POLICE LIAISON SCHEME MARSHALLING
The purpose of the reciprocal scheme is to enable student barristers and trainee
police officers to gain an understanding of the way in which each others’ profession
works in practice. The scheme gives BPTC students the opportunity to experience
the day-to-day running of a police station and/or accompany officers on patrol and, in
turn, police officers are able to spend a day marshalling a judge and discussing the
case. Annually around 100 students apply for the scheme and we cannot take
students without having mutual places for police officers with judges.
Contact: Amy Mason (020 7797 8262, amymason@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers
PUPILLAGE ADVICE EVENING
This evening gives students the opportunity to hear from a panel of speakers about
applying for and gaining pupillage and to talk informally to barristers and pupils about
different areas of law. We would like to hear from potential speakers as well as those
willing to talk informally to students during the subsequent reception.
Contact: Eamonn O’Reilly (020 7797 8210, eoreilly@innertemple.org.uk)
Students Pupils Barristers Judges Benchers