Joining an Inn

Information on how and why you should join an Inn, and what benefits they can offer.

The Inns of Court

Anyone wishing to train for the Bar must join one of the four Inns of Court. They are:

 

  • Lincoln's Inn
  • Inner Temple
  • Middle Temple
  • Gray's Inn

     What is their purpose?

    The Inns alone have the power to call a student to the Bar. Only those called to the Bar are able to exercise rights of audience in the superior courts of England and Wales as barristers.

    What do they provide?

    The Inns are principally non-academic societies which provide collegiate and educational activities and support for barristers and student barristers. They all provide the use of a library, lunching and dining facilities, common rooms and gardens.

    They also provide a number of grants and scholarships for the various stages on the way to becoming a barrister. Please contact your Inn for details of the closing date for CPE scholarships. Closing date for BPTC scholarships is the first Friday in November for the BVC in the following academic year.

    As well as awards and scholarships, the Inns are able to offer advice to their student members, for example, assistance with completing CVs and application forms for the BVC and for pupillage. Mock interviews are also available, as are the arrangement of marshalling schemes. Check with the student officers of the Inns for details.

    When should you become an Inn member?

    Admission to an Inn is required before registration on the Bar Vocational Course, although many undergraduates join before this stage in order to participate in activities, use the library, or start their qualifying sessions. Students are reminded that they must join an Inn by 31st May of the year their Bar Vocational Course is due to commence.

    Making your Inn choice

    A student's choice of Inn does not affect the area of law in which they wish to practise or their choice of pupillage or tenancy. It is usually a matter of personal choice – we suggest that you visit the Inns and talk to current members and to the student officers to help you make the decision on which Inn to join.

    Travel to and from the Inns for education and introductory days

  • Cardiff provides transport to education Days and £25 towards travel expenses for the Introductory Weekend.
  • MMU provides up to £60 towards travel expenses for each student
  • Nottingham Law School provides buses to the Inns Introductory Weekends
  • UNN does not provide additional travel assistance but accounts for these costs within its fee structure
  • UWE provides £75 towards travel expenses for each student (also applies to PT students)
  • The College of Law (Birmingham) provides up to £80 towards travel expenses for each student;
  • BPP Leeds finance assistance is currently under review.

    Qualifying units

    Students are required to complete 12 qualifying units in order to be called to the Bar. These units, also known as qualifying sessions can be defined as “educational and collegiate activities arranged by or on behalf of the Inn(s)” for the purpose of preparing junior barristers for practice. These sessions used to be known as ‘dining sessions’, traditionally focused on dining with senior practitioners, which also provided networking opportunities and sharing of best practice. It is more common now for these sessions to have relevant talks and training workshops.

    Qualifying sessions can be achieved through a number of different ways:

    Attendance at

  • Weekends either in the Inn or at a residential centre such as Cumberland Lodge.
  • Education Days (primarily for out of London students).
  • Education Dinners (with lectures or talks).
  • Domus Dinners (when students and seniors dine together).
  • Social Dinners (such as Grand Night or student guest nights or dinners at the providers).

    The weekends count as 3 units, the days count as 2 units and dinners and Call Night count as 1 unit.

    BVC Students are reminded that qualifying session dinners are held both in London and in the provinces, as are various guest lectures throughout the year.

    London students starting the BPTC are invited to attend the Introductory Party for London Students (held by all four Inns jointly). The introductory weekends for out of London students take place on different dates, check with your Inn.

    These all count towards your qualifying units. See the Inns' websites for full details and to book places. Details of other events which can count as qualifying units are also available from their websites.

    Advocacy training

    Each Inn also runs advocacy training courses for their pupils. These vary in format and length and combine advocacy training with lecturers on particular areas of law or forensic skills.

    Additionally, each Inn has student societies and supports involvement in debating activities which range from internal events to inter-Inn, national and international competitions. The students organise their own social events through their Inns' student association and some Inns also support sporting societies.

    Some of these training sessions count as qualifying units.

    Dates for Inns' sessions for students

    Please contact your Inns for details of forthcoming sessions for students.

    Contacting the Inns:



      Lincoln's Inn 
      Students' Department
      Treasury Office
      Lincoln's Inn
      London WC2A 3TL
      Tel: 0207 405 1393



      Inner Temple  

      Education & Training Department
      Treasurer's Office
      Inner Temple
      London EC4Y 7HL
      Tel: 0207 797 8208



      Middle Temple 
      Students' Department
      Treasury Office
      Middle Temple
      London EC4Y 9at
      Tel: 0207 427 4800



      Gray's Inn  
      Education Department
      8 South Square
      Gray's Inn
      London WC1R 5EU
      Tel: 0207 458 7900