Annual Dinner

This annual event, which is attended by Benchers, barristers and students, is organised by the Hall Committee who arrange for a distinguished person to speak after dinner.

We are delighted to announce that our 2024 speaker will be Middle Temple Bencher Master Sandie Okoro. A barrister, solicitor, and Honorary Bencher of Middle Temple, Sandie joined Standard Chartered Bank as Group General Counsel in April 2022. In the role, she leads the Bank’s Legal, Group Corporate Secretariat and Shared Investigative Services functions. Sandie previously served as General Counsel and Senior Vice President, and Vice President for Compliance, at the World Bank Group (having joined in 2017). Prior to joining the World Bank, Sandie was General Counsel for HSBC Global Asset Management and Global General Counsel at Barings.

Sandie has received numerous accolades and lifetime achievement awards for her career and volunteer efforts on diversity, women’s empowerment and leadership. She was named one of the Upstanding 100 Leading Ethnic Minority Executives (2016), Top 20 Global General Counsel (2019) by the Financial Times, and was recognised as Britain’s 10th most influential person of African and African Caribbean heritage by Powerlist (2023). Sandie received a lifetime achievement award from the UK Black Solicitors Network (2016), was named one of the Power 100 Women by City A.M., 100 Women to Watch by Female FTSE Board and received an OBE for services to Diversity in International Finance in 2024.

At Annual Dinner, the usual hierarchy in Hall is replaced with a seating plan which ensures that Benchers sit amongst students and barristers.

After dinner, we will see Master Okoro in conversation with the Chair of Hall Committee Chris Bates.

Student/Hall Members: Guests welcome

Benchers: Guests welcome

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

Please note this event is NOT a Qualifying Session 

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.