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Ordinary Bencher Nomination Forms

To nominate a member of Hall to be considered by the Bench Selection Advisory Committee (BSAC) for election to the Bench, please complete the below Proposer Form (Form A) and have your chosen nominee complete the Candidate Form (Form B).

In order to be considered as a Candidate for election to the Bench as an Ordinary Bencher, candidates must have been Called to the Bar for at least 10 years. In considering candidates, BSAC looks at all the following factors:
 
  • high reputation in their relevant area of practice or work (which may be or include a field outside the law); and/or
  • significant contribution to the Inn; and/or
  • significant contribution to the profession
 
Candidates for election must also demonstrate:
  • a commitment to the active support of the Inn, and involvement in its activities, as a Bencher, and
  • a commitment to the promotion of diversity and inclusion in the profession.

Subject to the above the Inn will seek to elect Masters from the most diverse pool in terms of area of practice or work and also in terms of protected characteristics, including sex, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender re-assignment, disability, and also socio-economic background.

The candidate information included in the forms will eventually be circulated with the voting papers to Benchers for Election Parliament. BSAC can only consider those candidates for whom they have a complete set of documents.
 
Note to Proposers of Ordinary Master candidates: Please note that by completing and submitting the form you will be agreeing that should the candidate you propose be nominated for election, you will attend the Election Parliament to support them. In the event that you are unable to attend the Election Parliament, you will be asked to find a suitable Bencher to propose them.
 
Please also note that it is the responsibility of the Proposer to communicate the status of their candidate's application to the candidate. After each meeting of BSAC at which candidates for election as Benchers are discussed, the Proposer will be informed by the Inn’s staff whether their candidate is to be included on the list of candidates to be considered at the next Election.  
 
Candidates should not contact any member of BSAC or the Inn’s staff about the status of their application. It is the responsibility of the Proposer to keep the candidate informed about the development of the application and the Proposer may liaise with the Inn’s staff or the Chair of BSAC for that purpose.  
 
Note to Ordinary Master Candidates:  Please note that upon being elected a Master of the Bench, new Benchers are required to pay a one-off Bench Fee at the prevailing rate. Currently the Bench Fee is £1,750. Academic, Overseas, Honorary Benchers and Benchers of distinction outside of the Law, are not charged this one-off fee. 
 
Each new Bencher is allowed to operate a credit account with the Inn. This account is referred to as a Bench Bill. A Bencher may charge to this account the cost for any event that requires a fee, such as a dining event or Domus function event. Each Term, the Bench Bill will contain an item for “Commons”, which is currently a charge of £200. Against this Commons fee a charge may be set which is a credit that is dependent upon the number of Qualifying Sessions that the Bencher has attended in each Term. The maximum amount of credit allowed per Term is equal to the value of Commons charged. Please note that Commons credit applies only to Benchers and not their guests. Academic, Overseas, Honorary Benchers and Benchers of distinction outside of the Law are not liable to pay commons, nor are Circuit Judges whose primary residence is more than 60 miles from the Inn.
 
Any queries relating to the above, or to the nomination of Overseas, Academic, Bencher of Distinction Outside the Law and Honorary candidates to the Bench, should be sent to the Head of the Under Treasurer's Office, Lauren McHardy, at l.mchardy@middletemple.org.uk.
 

Form A for existing Benchers and members of Hall to propose a candidate

Form B  for candidates to fill out