Event Recordings

Whether you’re established in practice, just starting pupillage or still working towards your goal of a career at the Bar, financial wellbeing is important for everyone to not just survive but thrive at either the employed or self-employed Bar. This workshop, delivered by Selina Flavius (founder of award winning financial coaching company Black Girl Finance) laid out how to manage your finances to ensure that your current and future financial wellbeing is centre stage at every stage of your career.

The Forde ReportMonday 4 March 2024Master Martin Forde delivers his talk about his work on the Forde Report. The Forde Report was an inquiry which investigated discrimination within the Labour party. The talk will give an insight into the work of inquiries and speaking truth to power.The report can be read here.

Sherrard Conversation | Art Not EvidenceTuesday 22 October 2024Keir Monteith KC and Master Shami Chakrabarti will discuss how the prosecution deploy Rap and Drill music in an attempt to prove criminal gang membership, motive and intent.

Philosophy and the Law | The Large Man and the Shallow Pond: two thought experiments in moral philosophyThursday 23 January 2025Dr David Edmonds will be discussing two thought experiments in moral philosophy, as outlined below, designed to help people think analytically about ethical affairs.The Shallow PondImagine this.

Mock Trial – A Question of IntentSaturday 27 July 2024A young woman is drawn into a sect. Under the influence of the sect, she separates herself from her mother and her friends. Desperate to “rescue” her daughter, as she sees it, her mother and her friend trick the daughter and keep her locked in the bedroom of a flat, where they begin the process of “deprogramming her”.

The password required to view the Inns of Court Alliance for Women Menopause workshop can be obtained by contacting  l.hacon@middletemple.org.uk 

Improving Your Communication Skills Part 2 - the Clerks’ Room - Survive & Thrive and the Talent Retention Working GroupEffective and constructive communication is essential in the workplace. It is the foundation for good teamwork, professional growth and an inclusive culture.We were delighted to entice Dr Anna Colton back to continue our series of events on how we can create more successful and enduring relationships at all levels by improving communication. This session focussed on communication between clerks and barristers.

This was a panel event at which the speakers, who work within the legal profession, discussed their personal experiences of grief and how that interacts with their practices. Host: Georgia-Mae Chung  Panellists: Houzla Rawat Isabel Bertschinger Sarah Lucy Cooper Sashi Schaffter

his Survive & Thrive session covered: The qualities which make a good leaderPractical tips and techniques to improve leadership skills Common pitfalls to avoid

Professor Nicola Lacey & William Godwin KC - Criminal Justice and Social (In)Justice

Prior to dinner for Benchers and members of the Inn there is a ceremony to Call elected members to the Bench.The Callees are Called to the Bench, then asked to take their place at the High Table. After dinner each new Bencher gives a short speech. Callees (in order of seniority):Lord Parker of Minsmere GCVO KCB (The Lord Chamberlain)Professor Emily Jackson OBEThe Hon Mr Justice James MellorMarcia Shekerdemian KCVeronique Buehrlen KCNneka Akudolu KC

Bench Call is a dinner for Benchers and members of the Inn at which there is a ceremony to Call elected members to the Bench. The Callees are Called to the Bench before dinner, then asked to take their place at the High Table. After dinner, each new Bencher gave a short speech.Callees:Dame Susan GlazebrookLouise di Mambro OBEThomas Grant KCOliver Glasgow KCAdam Speker KC

Treasurer's Lecture | The Rt Hon Lord BurrowsIn his lecture, Master Burrows examines aspects of the work of a Supreme Court Justice that may not be fully appreciated from the outside. Matters of substantive law (e.g. statutory interpretation and the law/fact distinction) are looked at as well as aspects of practice within the Court (e.g. the process for producing judgments). 

Climate Anxiety and the Environmentally Conscious Lawyer | Anouchka Grose and Estelle Dehon KC | A Survive & Thrive event

1622 The King's Prerogative - 2022 The Prime Minister's Prerogative

A Talent Retention and Survive & Thrive event with Dr Anna Colton and Jessica Chivers

Following an introduction from the Chair, Master Jonathan Baker, the guest speakers will provide their experiences of the impact of Covid-19 on the use of Courts in their respective Jurisdictions, how Australia and New Zealand responded to the challenges posed (at a Judicial, Court & Court Administration, operational and practitioner level), what has been achieved and what new developments will be kept moving forwards.

In recent years, a series of high-profile disputes between the parents of very ill children and their child's medical practitioners have made their way through the courts. In such cases – which include among them that of Charlie Gard, Alfie Evans, Tafida Raqeeb and  Alta Fixsler -- all parties believe that the course of action they favour is what is best for the child, yet those parties cannot reach agreement. The question thus arises, of who should have the ultimate say over a child's medical treatment? 

A wonderful opportunity to hear from two retired Supreme Court justices from two different jurisdictions in order to explore what they think the judicial role is and why it matters;  how it should be performed in a democracy; what the relationship is between courts and legislatures; how the courts (and the rest of the profession) can protect and promote public confidence in the justice system; how judges can balance staying knowledgeable about social realities and change,  while respecting the importance of precedent and stability; what role did comparative/international law play

Bench Call is a dinner for Benchers and members of the Inn at which there is a ceremony to Call elected members to the Bench.The Callees are Called to the Bench before dinner, then asked to take their place at the High Table. After dinner each new Bencher gave a short speech:Callees:Sir Elliott Mottley KCMG QCThe Hon Mrs Justice Fatmatta Bintu AlhadiScott MaidmentWill KenyonThe Rt Hon The Lord Darroch of Kew KCMG

He will be reading from his book "Welcome to Britain: Fixing Our Broken Immigration System". The book discusses the UK immigration system and how immigration, migration and free movement are treated in the English legal system. 

With the interwoven global economy and close economic ties between the United Kingdom and the United States, UK barristers may well have reason to represent, or litigate against, American corporations, limited liability companies, limited partnerships or other business entities.  The complexities of American business law, which is a mixed system of federal and state regulation, may be daunting at first.  The goal of this lecture is to present some basic concepts in American corporate law to a Middle Temple audience, in hopes that listeners will approach their next encounter with a

Timothy Dutton CBE QC, Chairman of the Bar Council in 2008, and Head of Chambers at Fountain Court from 2008-13, was Called to the Bench in 2003. In this talk, moderated by Master Etherington, Master Dutton will speak to his own experience of thriving in the profession in adversity.

A Sherrard Conversation between Harriet Wistrich and Master Nicky Padfield. Recorded Monday 22 November 2021.

Dr. Nubia will elucidate how concepts of “race” in the Tudor Period were far more nuanced and more progressive to use today’s parlance than we previously have been led to believe. He will speak to some themes within his book, England’s Other Countrymen, Black Tudor Society, that evidence that many of the ideas associated with modern racist ideology are in fact relatively recent development, and what lessons the past can teach us today about combating racism.

This QS 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.

In today’s “VUCA” world, chasing certainty is futile no matter how much our brains crave it. We must find comfort in the discomfort of uncertainty to be impactful as leaders and advisors. Professor Smets addresses this challenge by considering how to leverage the power of doubt as a catalyst for better decision-making, greater personal resilience and better client relationships.

A conversation between Master Richard Wilmot-Smith (Treasurer 2018) and Master Kenneth Broun about Master Broun’s work in advocacy teaching. Can advocacy be taught? How it is taught? What has his experience been of good advocacy. How do student and teacher learn from one another?   This discussion will be framed by his experience of advocacy teaching to young black lawyers in South Africa from 1986 under Apartheid, and after. Recorded on Monday 7 June 2021.

Julian Assange, in the last several months, and, before him, Lauri Love, Roman Polankshy, Gary McKinnon, Shrien Dewani, Babar Ahmed, The Natwest Three bankers, and Augusto Pinochet. Each has fought a request for their extradition. Each has gripped press headlines. But just how complex can an area of law be when it is solely governed by one Act of Parliament, the Extradition Act 2003? 

This will be a high level review of the parts played by members of the Inns and independence movements in British Colonies. Participants in the QS will be asked whether the training at, or the culture of, the Inns was in any way causative of those movements and their success. Recorded on Thursday 6 May 2021. Presented by Master Blunt.

Whether it’s cross examining a witness, addressing a Judge, Jury or Interview panel, appearing on screen is a slightly different proposition to being in a room. In this session we’ll examine how to take your existing skills and apply them to an online context. Presented by Ishan Kolhatkar. Recorded Monday 10 May 2021.

Master Audrey Campbell-Moffat discusses the benefits and opportunities open to those that wish to practice as an advocate overseas. Recorded on Tuesday 09 February 2021.

Law cases with an international dimension can easily get caught between the cogs and wheels of different legal systems. When these apply their rules to the same case without further coordination, this can produce absurd results which are entirely unintended. Using real examples, this lecture explains how to  detect, explain and overcome such accidental discriminations in the conflict of laws.

In 2020 Naima Sakande, of the organisation APPEAL, wrote a paper which explored the barriers faced by women seeking to overturn unsafe convictions or unfair sentences in the Court of Appeal. In this session she will explore, with Nicky Padfield, the complex reasons which explain why so few women appeal. 

Judge Matthew Martin, in conversation with Joshua Xerri, discusses the contentious Heart Balm Torts. Recorded Monday 25 January.

This session was run by MTYBA and MTSA with testimonies from prominent black members of the Bar.  Recorded Monday 19 October 2020. 

A MTYBA Black Lives Matter Conversation: A panel discussion addressing the issues of racial profiling, injustices within the Criminal Justice System in the US & the UK, and concerns surrounding the privatisation of prisons.Recorded on: Thursday 24th of September 2020.

Judge: Friend or Foe

Understanding body language and how to create the ‘golden halo’ effect.