Private Guest Night

With a champagne reception and black tie dinner, Private Guest Night is one of the Inn’s grander events.

Benchers are encouraged to bring esteemed colleagues from other fields.

Please note there are certain rules and customs that members and guests are expected to observe when attending formal dinners at the Inn.  

Students and transferring lawyers need to attend the lecture before dinner in order to be awarded a Qualifying Session. Other Members and Guests are of course most welcome to attend too.

Julien Foster will give a talk about "The Use of Rhetoric in Advocacy"

This talk will explore the rhetorical devices used in advocacy, examining classical notions of rhetoric and rhetorical devices used in modern speeches as an aid to discovering how such devices may be used effectively in civil, criminal and family advocacy.

Julien Foster was Called in October 1995 and appointed a Recorder in September 2019. He practises from 1GC | Family Law across three main areas: public law, private law children cases and Court of Protection cases. His areas of expertise and specialisation include care proceedings, cases with an international dimension and judicial review, particularly involving local authorities' duties towards children and vulnerable adults. He has acted for the father of the child known as "Baby P" in a number of different cases including civil proceedings brought, unusually, on an anonymised basis. He has a general interest in the art of public speaking outside the court arena. He has been an enthusiastic participant in the activities of Middle Temple Advocacy for over twenty-five years, initially as a student and, latterly, as a trainer.

Student/Hall Members: Guests welcome, maximum three per member

Benchers: One guest per Bencher

If you (or your guests) have any dietary requirements please ensure that you provide this information when you book tickets.  If you did not do so, please inform the Inn no later than 12:00 two working days before the event. 

If you (or your guests) are unsure about anything on the evening please speak to the events staff on duty.

Non-alcoholic alternatives will be provided on request.

Further details on dietary requirements

This event counts as one Qualifying Session.  Students and transferring lawyers need to attend the lecture before dinner in order to claim a Qualifying Session. 

Further details of the QS Requirements and how to be credited with the QS for this session

Learning Outcomes

• Describe the key rhetorical devices used in public speaking.
• Recognise when they and others are using the key rhetorical devices in a variety of situations.
• Select the most appropriate rhetorical devices to use in court advocacy.

Links to the Professional Statement, wider workings of the Bar, administration of justice or a public interest matter

• 1.5 / 1.6 / 1.7 / 1.8 / 1.9 / 1.10 / 1.15 / 1.17
• 2.6

View the BSB's Professional Statement

QS Feedback

If you have any feedback on a QS you have attended or have any suggestions for future sessions, please contact the education department on education@middletemple.org.uk

If you have questions about accessibility at the Inn or if you would like to request support, please email Laura Hacon.

The Inn is committed to improving access to all its services and encourages members to get in touch with suggestions and feedback on how we can improve. If you feel your experience using the website or attending one of our events could be improved, please email Laura. Your suggestions will be treated in the strictest confidence.