THE INNER TEMPLE DEBATING SOCIETY

The Inner Temple Debating Society welcomes members at all levels of experience. The Inn participates in practically every Inter-Varsity tournament including those held at Oxford, Cambridge, Dublin and St Andrews to name but a few. The Inner Temple also hosts its own Inter-Varsity which has became one of the highlights of the debating social calendar and attended by debaters from all over the world. In years past the society has sent teams to tournaments all over the world, including the European and World Championships, for which the Inn has provided all travel costs.

The society also regularly hosts the Inner Temple Inter-Varsity Debating Competition, one of the most prestigious competitions on the debating circuit.

The Inner Temple Debating Society is headed up this year by President Kathryn Arnott Drummond, co-Vice Presidents Thomas Collins and Aidan Briggs, Treasurer Jonathan Lord and Secretary Richard Charteris.

What is debating?
Debating is essentially arguing within certain rules and boundaries. In Parliamentary debating you will form part of a 2-person team and will argue for or against a proposition. To be a good debater you must learn how to blend construction of a coherent argument, rebuttal, humour and teamwork. Speed of thought is essential to be a good debater. Inner Temple Debating Society has one of the best competitive records worldwide and has produced some of the finest and notorious debaters and barristers in recent years. Debating is a skill, which prepares you for the baptism of fire in the courtroom better than anything else. So if you like arguing and don’t mind standing up in public (all over the world) debating is for you!

Do you need to have had debating experience to join the debating society?
Not at all. The Inn welcomes all levels of debaters from those who have never debated formally or otherwise to those who have participated in major debating events. Wherever possible the Inn sends both a novice and experienced team to every debating event including the European and World debating tournaments. For those who are new to debating the Inner Temple debating society runs workshops, run by experienced debaters, taking you through all the debating rules and regulations!

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