Sub-Treasurer's Report, October 2018

1. Finance

The Investment Sub-Committee met on 24 July to review performance with the two managers, Thomas Miller and Veritas.

The Pension Scheme Trustees met on 3 October.

2. Estates

A meeting of the Project Pegasus Steering Group took place on 27 September. An alternative design of the third floor, which would facilitate the retention of the Library Gallery in Room D, was presented by our architect, Hugh Broughton, and discussed. This was left for consideration by the Treasurer, Reader and Reader-Elect.

The Estates Committee met on 2 October. Hugh Broughton presented the ‘approved scheme’ and invited questions on design and utility. The meeting also discussed security issues, raised by Master Sells, on which the Sub-Treasurer agreed to consult with tenants, residents and Middle Temple.

3. Education and Training

Trinity Term Call Night took place on 26 July. 95 students of 19 different nationalities were Called to the Bar.

The Advocacy Training Committee met on 18 September and discussed feedback from the June New Practitioners course; the protocol of the grading of advocacy trainers; and training for middle year practitioners.

A BPTC Advocacy and Legal Research Training Day was held on 22 September; an introductory evening for London BPTC students took place on 25 September; and another for BPTC students studying outside London took place on 5 October, followed by a Skills Course on 6/7 October.

On 26 September a mock trial for the police officers who offered shadowing opportunities to BPTC students through the Police Liaison Scheme was held at the Royal Courts of Justice. This was followed by a reception at the Inn. A total of 16 BPTC students have shadowed the police in the past year.

The first Pegasus Scholarship Trust meeting for some time was held on 24 September. (Inner Temple provides the secretariat for this body, on which all four Inns are represented, and the Trust subsidises a member of the E&T team.)

An Advocacy Teacher Training Weekend was held on 29/30 September.

The Education and Training Committee met on 3 October and agreed to recommend to the Executive Committee that the Inn authorise the Council of the Inns of Court (COIC), through the agency of the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (ICCA), to enter into the market as a provider of the two-part course.

An Introductory Evening was held on 4 October for the 48 pupils commencing the first of the Inn’s compulsory advocacy training courses for this academic year.

4. House and Administration

The Bar Liaison Committee (BLC) met on 16 July. Amongst matters discussed were the BLC’s three-year objectives intended to support the work of the Inn by ascertaining the views of members of Hall on how the changing nature of practice at the Bar is affecting the needs of barristers and how the Inn can help its members meet these challenges. Issues identified for particular consideration include:

  • Developments in information technology and the Inn’s use and provision of electronic resources in legal research (e.g., online library access), delivery of training (e.g., videoconferencing and webinars) and its communications (e.g., social media);
  • The different structures in which barristers work, including how the Inn can support the Employed Bar, dual-practising barristers, barristers conducting public access work and barristers involved in alternative business structures;
  • Changes to the way barristers work and use of the Inn’s facilities for delivering legal services, including remote working, seminars and workshops, and, business networking
  •  Changes to the continuing professional development framework and the Inn’s delivery of continuing legal education especially for middle and senior years practitioners;
  • How the Inn can promote diversity within the profession;
  • How the Inn can encourage and promote opportunities within the profession to its members; and
  • How the Inn can support the health and well-being of its members.

The meeting was followed by a dinner hosted by the Treasurer for members of the BLC.

The Drama Society performed The Hypochondriac by the French playwright Molière in Church Court on 16/17 July.

Matthew Parris gave the inaugural John Wilkes Society speech at Inner Temple on 23 July to the History Society. A number of City dignitaries attended the subsequent dinner which was co-hosted by Master Treasurer and the Treasurer of Middle Temple.

On 25 July our catering team passed their European Safety Bureau Audit with 96.8%. Searcy’s judges anything over 95% as a “venue of excellence”.

Carlos Redin, Accounts Supervisor in the catering team, achieved 30 years of service to Inner Temple on 6 September.

Vicky Portinari, the Head of Catering, attained 25 years’ service at the Inn on 1 October 2018.

A Macmillan coffee morning cake sale organised by Inner Temple staff in Church Court on 28 September raised at least £900 (possibly more with gift aid) for cancer-related work.

The Sub-Treasurer attended the Lord Chancellor’s Reception for the Opening of the Legal Year on 1 October, as did numerous members of Inner Temple.

Thanks to the Yearbook editor Alex Wright and the editorial team, with oversight by Master O’Toole, another handsome edition was produced over the summer. Although advertising revenue was down again this year, the publication has been produced within budget. The Yearbook is also available in digital format on the Inn’s website.

The IALS Inns of Court Fellow 2018-2019, the Hon Justice Mary Newbury of the Court of Appeal of British Columbia, has just arrived in London to take up her fellowship. Her research will be on the Doctrine of act of state and the exceptions thereto – to explore whether act of state can be expressed as one doctrine or whether it is really a group of disparate rules and whether it is likely to be useful in the modern context of increased comity and interdependence.

Recent film productions have included American TV supernatural spy drama The Rook (Amazon Prime) and The Personal History of David Copperfield, directed by Armando Iannucci and starring Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Ben Wishaw and Hugh Lawrie. Scenes for Tom Clancy thriller Jack Ryan (Amazon Prime) will be filmed on Inner Temple Lane on Saturday 13 October.

Work to adapt the mahogany dining tables with flip tops and improved casters has been completed. The adjustments to the tables are designed to improve manoeuvrability and storage.

Representatives from Oxford University Press and Thomson Reuters will display publicity material by the entrance to Hall on the publication dates of the new editions of Archbold (10 October) and of Blackstone’s Criminal Practice (11 October).

Testing of an online parking system for daily permits and a password protected committee paper download facility, through which members of committees will be able to access papers relating to their relevant committees, is currently being tested and will be rolled out as soon as possible.

5. Library

Library staff ran a training session on legal research as part of the Inn’s BPTC Advocacy Day on Saturday 22 September. This Qualifying Session, which was run twice, was attended by 91 students. Other activities for students during September and October have included participation in freshers’ events and giving presentations on the library services of the four Inns at the London BPTC providers; organising open afternoons; and participating in the Inn’s introductory evenings. Activities for pupils scheduled for October include a legal research session and lunchtime induction sessions on library services.

The Library now subscribes to the Bloomsbury Professional Online Service which gives access to 176 textbooks, loose-leafs and journals in over 20 practice areas. This is available within the Library and the subscription also includes a limited number of log-ins which allow the service to be made available to Inner Temple members by remote access. Priority is given to members outside London who are unable to visit the Library in person.

Profiles of some influential and inspiring members of the Inns are now on display around the Library to celebrate Black History Month.

6. Information Technology

BT have been on site to begin the move of one of the Inn's two leased lines to Mitre Court. The IT Department continues to prepare for the upgrade of the Inn's phone network at the end of October.
The Head of IT is working with the Treasury Office, Catering and Estates on technical preparations for the Bench Table meeting on 3 December.

7. International

The Acting President of Mauritius visited Inner Temple on 26 July. He and his wife and sister lunched with Masters Nice, Malecka, Ayling, Maddams and Prandzioch and the Sub-Treasurer before witnessing his daughter’s Call to the Bar.

The Kuala Lumpur Business Club organised a panel discussion followed by a reception for about 80 guests followed by a smaller dinner on 10 September. Master Maude gave a keynote address and the panel speakers were Tunku Zain Al-‘Abidin ibni Tuanku Muhrzi (President of the Institute for Democracy and Economic Affairs), Baroness Chakrabarti (Shadow Attorney General) and Vera Kwakofi (Head of the BBC Africa World Service Group). Master Pittaway hosted dinner and addressed the guests on Inner Temple and the strong relationship with Malaysia.

A reception and dinner for Latin American Ambassadors, sponsored by Stratford Rotary, was held on 11 September. All 21 accepted and 15 attended or were represented by senior colleagues: some of the guests were given a tour of Inner Temple and Temple Church beforehand. Master Pittaway hosted dinner and addressed the guests on Inner Temple and legal training and links with Latin America: three representatives have since indicated an interest in following up the relationship with Inner Temple.

The Sultan of Perak (expected to be the next King of Malaysia) visited Temple Church for a briefing by the Master of the Temple and entertained a few guests to dinner in the Committee Room on 13 October. One Bencher present described dinner as “…a storming production…staff were brilliant – the perfect procession….”.

Temple Bar and incoming Pegasus Scholars from the US visited Inner Temple on 2 October for lunch and a reception. The Sub-Treasurer met separately with Bill Koch and Brigadier Malinda Dunn, President and Executive Director of the American Inns of Court.

The International Committee met on 4 October, chaired by Master Nice. The committee received reports on events that had taken place since the last meeting and an update on international activities for the remainder of the year. The committee also reviewed a list of the Inn’s members by nationality and location.

A substantial discussion on a proposal from Master Korner on the potential for the Inn to offer judicial training overseas explored the necessity to collaborate and co-operate closely with the Inns of Court College of Advocacy and the Judicial College. The committee considered viable locations for such training; what benefits it would bring to the Inn and the wider legal profession; and how and from where supplementary funding could be accessed if the host jurisdictions were unable to cover the costs of flights and accommodation. The committee unanimously supported the proposal and Master Korner will work with the Sub-Treasurer’s Office to identify Judicial Governing Benchers who might be interested in delivering training. Finally, the committee approved a budget for 2019 for submission to the Finance Sub-Committee. It included costings for an enhanced schedule of outbound activities, but further consideration will need to be given by the Reader and others on suitable locations.

The winning team from the Central and Eastern European Mooting Competition, this year held in Wrocław, Poland, visited Inner Temple on 5 October and met the Sub-Treasurer. The team were from Charles University in Prague. Two members of the team observed the Presentational Skills Course for new BPTC students on Saturday 6 October.

8. Garden

The Inn’s staff participated in a sunflower growing competition over the summer months as part of the staff wellbeing programme. Master Rachel Spearing, the Master of Wellbeing, the Sub-Treasurer and the Head Gardener judged the entries to the competition on 7 July and awarded prizes to the Daisy Mortimer, Outreach Co-ordinator (tallest); Nadia Ruiz, Assistant to Head of Treasury Office (largest flowerhead); Jacqueline Fenton, Membership & Records Assistant (most flowerheads on one plant); and Roger Ward, Head Porter (best in show).

9. The Temple Church and its Music

The Church Committee met on 17 July and 5 October. It agreed to regulate the situation on VAT (now done) and approved a budget for 2019.

The Temple Church took part in Open London on the weekend of 22/23 September. Approximately 2,000 guests visited the Church during the weekend.

The first Choral Evensong of the Legal Year took place on 3 October. There was a short address by Master Scruton.

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

A COIC Board meeting took place on 18 July. The main topic was the so-called Main Gate proposal that the Inns should deliver the reformed Bar Professional Training Course, which was circulated to the Inns on 6 September. Work to deliver a common anti-harassment policy for the four Inns had been delayed while discussions between COIC and the BSB on related training continue.

COIC finances remain in healthy condition. Income required to fund non-BPTC activities has been frozen for 2019 by identifying efficiency savings and running down reserves, but BPTC related requirements will increase considerably.

11. In Memoriam

Master Turner (Sir Michael Turner, Called 1955) sadly died on Monday 8 October. He was 87 and leaves a widow, Lady (Ingrid) Turner and three sons, including James M. Turner QC and David Turner QC of Gray’s Inn and a daughter from previous marriage. The flag was flown at half-mast on Wednesday 10 October in his memory. Details of funeral and memorial services will be circulated as appropriate in due course.

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.