Sub-Treasurer's Report, June 2018

1. Finance

The 2017 audit of the Inn’s accounts was closed at a meeting on 14 May. The report by the auditors, Crowe Clarke Whitehill, threw up no significant matters which are not already being resolved.

2. Estates

An exhibition of the existing Project Pegasus proposals and of the proposed temporary accommodation into which staff and events would be decanted during the Project took place in the Buttery rooms between 15-22 May. This was open to all members, tenants and residents of Inner Temple.

The Bar Liaison Committee survey of members of Hall on the subject of Project Pegasus closed on 28 May. Analysis of the responses will be reported to the Executive Committee in June and Bench Table in July.

The planned maintenance of the exterior of 7-13 King’s Bench Walk is well advanced and expected to end in July. Similar maintenance work to Littleton Building will commence on 6 August until 9 November. Internal staircase refurbishments of 12 and 13 King’s Bench Walk, and 2 and 3 Hare Court are also proposed before the end of the year.

Following Fire Safety training conducted by LWF, a further evacuation drill for Library staff to agree the protocol for the safe evacuation of mobility impaired personnel from the Library has been arranged for 25 June.

3. Education and Training

The Scholarships Committee met on 16 May. It was noted that the Inn had received 441 applications – the greatest number to date – for the BPTC Scholarships. Despite snowstorms causing severe travel disruption, the interviews went ahead successfully. A number of new volunteers stepped forward this year, which allowed the Inn to meet its intention of interviewing every candidate (383 after withdrawals).

A well-received student Residential Weekend around the theme of “Mental Health and Capacity” was held at Highgate House on 18-20 May. The keynote speaker was Paul Farmer, CEO of MIND, who commented positively on the number of Mental Health Awareness Week (see below) badges being worn by Inner Temple members.

A well-attended dinner for Academic Fellows took place on 22 May.

Ms Sellisher Lockyer arrived on 4 June to take over as Scholarships and Students Manager from Eamonn O’Reilly, who left on 15 June.

The Qualifying Sessions Sub-Committee met on 11 June and discussed feedback received from residential weekends; ways to ensure that the Inn’s Qualifying Sessions meet the COIC framework; the Social Context of the Law Series; and gender diversity at the residential weekends.

The panel of speakers for the 3rd Critical Law and Corporate Social Responsibility networking event on “Business and Human Rights – corporate vulnerability, due diligence and liability”, held on 13 June, comprised Master Artesi, Rae Lindsay of Clifford Chance and Dr Onyeka Osuji of Essex University.

Internship Award interviews were held on 14 June.

4. House and Administration

Following a final email request to members, shortly before the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) deadline of 25 May, 3439 (out of some 7500) have given Inner Temple permission to correspond with them about non-regulatory matters that would be considered ‘direct marketing’ under the new rules and that do not fall within our legitimate interest. This equates to about 46% of our membership.

The appeal for Mental Health Awareness Week (14-18 May) raised a total of some £340 from Inner Temple.

A successful Mixed Dining Night and Rawlinson Cup Debate was held on 16 May and a much-appreciated Amity Dinner with Middle Temple took place on 6 June.

A substantial team from Inner Temple took part in the London Legal Walk on 21 May and have so far raised over £1,600 for improved access to justice.

The History Society hosted a performance of Tayo Aluko’s acclaimed one-man show about Tunji Sowande on 21 May.

A book launch for “International and National Perspectives on Child and Family Law”, written in honour of Master Lowe, was hosted at Inner Temple on 13 June and was followed by a reception.

5. Library

An Australian legal contact reported that at the Australian Law Librarians Conference in May the Inner Temple Library was mentioned in two papers – the daily Current Awareness blog and the History of the EU timeline were both highly praised.

Three members of the Library team attended the annual conference of the British and Irish Law Librarians in Birmingham on 7 - 9 June. A Canadian law librarian attending the conference toured the Library on 12 June.

6. Information Technology

Heads of Department carried out a useful Business Continuity/Disaster Planning exercise, largely to test communications, on 18 May.

The upgrade of the Inn's servers is continuing successfully. Most of the Inn's servers have now been virtualised, i.e. partitioned to ensure greater resilience and reliability.

New fibre cabling is being installed between Mitre Court and the main building, and between the Potting Shed and 6KBW.

7. International

A large party of Brazilian Judges visited Inner Temple on 15 May. After a short tour, they were briefed by Masters Rix, Nice and Agnello (the latter in Portuguese) and by the Sub-Treasurer.

The departing High Commissioner of Zambia spoke at a Westminster Africa Business Group lunch on 17 May, attended by both current and former Sub-Treasurers (Inner Temple is a corporate member of WABG.)

Lawrence Teh, Chair of the Inner Temple Association of Singapore, called on Master Treasurer on 18 May.

The Master of the Temple and the Sub-Treasurer represented Inner Temple at the Opportunity International summer reception hosted by Master HRH The Princess Royal at Kensington Palace on 7 June.

8. Garden

The Inner Temple Great Garden Fete, an event associated with Chelsea Fringe, took place on 20 May and attracted some 450 visitors.

Inner Temple Garden was also open to the public on the Garden Squares Weekend of 9-10 June: on this occasion the opening was coordinated with that of Middle Temple and the Master of the Temple’s garden, which led to over 800 visitors on the day.

9. The Temple Church and its Music

Choral Evensong on 13 June was followed by the book launch of “Tomb and Temple: Re-imagining the Sacred Buildings of Jerusalem”, edited by the Master of the Temple and Eric Fernie.

10. Archives

The Inn has been undertaking a records management and retention exercise to optimise digital and paper-based management and ensure Inner Temple meets current requirements (including GDPR). An audit has been carried out and the contractors employed will now train and work with individual departments to implement their findings.

11. Council of the Inns of Court/Bar Standards Board

A COIC Board meeting was held on 16 May, focussing on the continuing work of the BPTC Steering Group. At the end of Q1, the COIC accounts showed evidence that COIC remains solvent and is operating within its means.

The ISAG met on 13 June to consider the BSB’s recent Future Bar Training Policy Statement on pupillage, the authorisation framework and the curriculum and assessment strategy. Other issues covered included continuing work on the COIC Anti-Harassment Policy and the BPTC Project.

Greg Dorey CVO

Sub-Treasurer

Bio

Mr Dorey has had a distinguished career in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, serving at various times as Ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibouti and the African Union; and to Hungary; plus spells as Deputy Head of Mission in Hong Kong and Pakistan. He holds a Masters degree in Modern History from Exeter College, University of Oxford.

Greg Dorey CVO

Sub-Treasurer

Bio

Mr Dorey has had a distinguished career in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, serving at various times as Ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibouti and the African Union; and to Hungary; plus spells as Deputy Head of Mission in Hong Kong and Pakistan. He holds a Masters degree in Modern History from Exeter College, University of Oxford.

Greg Dorey CVO

Sub-Treasurer

Bio

Mr Dorey has had a distinguished career in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, serving at various times as Ambassador to Ethiopia, Djibouti and the African Union; and to Hungary; plus spells as Deputy Head of Mission in Hong Kong and Pakistan. He holds a Masters degree in Modern History from Exeter College, University of Oxford.