GeekLawyer’s Blog

Since the Bar Vocational Course can now be studied at many fine educational establishments throughout the Kingdom and the higher court are no longer the preserve of barristers, some scallywags are starting to question the usefulness of the Inns of Court.

Ruthie has often been asked about the role and function of the Inns of Court (admittedly usually by drunken men at parties who are keen to gain more than an insight into the history of the legal profession), but a summary is as follows:

Inns of Court. There are four. Gray’s Inn, Lincoln’s Inn, Middle Temple and Inner Temple situated along Chancery Lane. Each Inn functions independently and has a bar, dining hall, library, chapel and accommodation. Their role can best be described as a trade guild. (Most other professions ditched their Guilds in the Middle Ages).

Each Inn has its own character and popular myth ascribes the following characteristics to each: Gray’s, situated closest to the Inns of Court School of Law, therefore popular with students who don’t want to walk too far. Lincoln’s, Commonwealth connections therefore popular with overseas students, does the best lunches; Middle, arguably grandest hall; Inner, most attractive library and for fans of the Da Vinci Code, situated opposite the Temple church.

One has to wonder why barristers need four such establishments when solicitors who vastly outnumber barristers get by with just one. The Law Society, also in Chancery Lane. The regulatory arm of the Bar is the Bar Council. (Although not for much longer if Clementi gets his way).

The Inns have grants and awards available to students. In Ruthie’s experience the grants were awarded on the basis of academic merit rather than financial need therefore the money always seemed to go to students who were already wealthy.

On the occasions when Ruthie had dealings with her Inn she was treated by the very proper lady staff with a level of distain reserved for cat vomit. These were the kind of ladies who thought that Aldi was a new kind of Chanel fragrance and had no concept of the kind of struggles faced by students and pupils. In any event surely its better to discourage poor working class people from entering the profession at any early stage?

Having made the decision to become a solicitor I found the Law Society to be the complete opposite: quick, helpful, professional and fundamentally, businesslike.

I fear the Inns are destined to become nothing more than legal theme parks. I wonder how much of a loss to the profession that will be. Perhaps the admission charge could be used to supplement the dwindling legal aid fund.

Alternatively, (hope Red Ken is reading this), there is a shortage of secure motorbike parking in the Temple area….