Inns of Court facts for kids

The symbols of the four Inns of Court. From top left: Lincoln's Inn, Middle Temple, Gray's Inn, Inner Temple.

The Inns of Court are special places in London, England. They are like professional clubs for barristers. Barristers are a type of lawyer who speak in court. There are four main Inns of Court: Gray's Inn, Lincoln's Inn, Inner Temple, and Middle Temple.

Every barrister in England and Wales must belong to one of these Inns. The Inns help guide their members and make sure they follow the rules. They also offer libraries, places to eat, and offices for lawyers. Each Inn has its own church or chapel. These areas were traditionally where barristers learned and worked. However, many lawyers now have offices outside the Inns. This is because the legal profession has grown, and modern offices are often preferred.

History of the Inns of Court
- Inns of Court and English Theatre
Who Belongs to the Inns of Court?
Where are the Inns of Court Located?
Other Related Inns
American Inns of Court
See also

History of the Inns of Court

In the 1100s and early 1200s, church leaders often taught law in London. But in 1219, the Pope said that church leaders should not study regular (secular) law. So, English common law began to be taught by people who were not church leaders. To protect their schools, King Henry II and later King Henry III stopped others from teaching law in London. The common-law lawyers then formed groups, much like trade guilds. These groups eventually became the Inns of Court.

For many centuries, starting in the 1300s, the Inns were places where lawyers lived, trained, and worked. Over time, the four Inns of Court became the main places for training barristers. Other places, called Inns of Chancery, were linked to the Inns of Court. They focused on training solicitors, another type of lawyer.

The four main Inns of Court are:

Lawyers have been in the Temple area since 1320. By 1337, the area was split into the Inner Temple and Middle Temple. Both were used by lawyers. Lincoln's Inn, the largest, has official records going back to 1422. Gray's Inn's records start in 1569, but teaching likely began there earlier. In 1620, important judges decided that all four Inns would be equally important.

In the 1500s and before, students learned by watching court cases. They also lived and studied together during the legal terms. This training used to last at least seven years. Later, the Inns focused on students dining with experienced barristers. This helped students learn from experts and make connections. By 1872, students had to pass special exams to become lawyers.

Inns of Court and English Theatre

The Inns of Court were important for English Renaissance theatre. Many famous writers and playwrights lived there. These included John Donne, Francis Beaumont, and Sir Francis Bacon. Plays like Gorboduc and The Misfortunes of Arthur were written and performed at the Inns. Even Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night were performed there.

Who Belongs to the Inns of Court?

Each of the four Inns of Court has three main types of members. These are students, barristers, and "benchers." The benchers are the leaders of each Inn. They choose new benchers from experienced barristers. Usually, senior lawyers, like KCs, or judges become benchers. They also include those who help the Inn with committees or training.

The top bencher of each Inn is called the Treasurer. This role changes every year. Each Inn also usually has at least one royal bencher. They can also invite honorary benchers, like professors or politicians.

The Inns of Court do not teach all the law courses needed today. Future barristers must pass the Bar Professional Training Course. However, the Inns provide extra training during this year and in early practice. All students who want to become barristers must join one of the four Inns. They must also attend ten special "qualifying sessions." These sessions are often formal dinners with law talks. After completing these, students can become barristers. The Inns are the only ones who can officially "call" qualified students to the bar. This is like a graduation ceremony.

Students can choose which Inn to join. However, they can only apply to one Inn for scholarships. It does not matter much which Inn a barrister joins in the long run. A student might choose an Inn because a friend is a member, or their university has a link to it.

A group called the Council of the Inns of Court handles rules and discipline. They run the disciplinary hearings for barristers.

Where are the Inns of Court Located?

The four Inns are close to each other in central London. They are near the Royal Courts of Justice. These courts moved to this legal area in 1882.

Middle Temple and Inner Temple are special areas called "liberties." This means they are inside London's historic boundaries but run themselves. They act like their own local governments. These two Inns are next to each other in the Temple area. The closest Tube station is Temple.

Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn are in the London Borough of Camden. They are also near the City of London border. They do not have the same special status as the other two. The nearest Tube station is Chancery Lane.

Each Inn is a large complex. It has a great hall, a chapel, libraries, and many offices for barristers. They also have gardens and cover several acres. Their layout is similar to a college at Oxbridge universities. The offices were once also homes for many barristers. Today, they are mostly just offices, with only a few apartments.

Other Related Inns

Serjeants' Inn

There was another important Inn called Serjeants' Inn. It closed in 1877. Its money was given to its members, which caused some debate. This Inn was for a special group of senior barristers called serjeants-at-law. They had special rights to speak in certain courts. But then a new rank, King's Counsel, was created for barristers who were not serjeants. The special rights of serjeants were removed, and no new ones were appointed.

In the past, senior judges would join Serjeants' Inn. This meant the leaders of the four barristers' Inns were mostly barristers. Now that Serjeants' Inn is gone, judges stay in the Inns they joined as students. This means most of the leaders of the Inns are now senior judges.

Inns of Chancery

There were also several Inns of Chancery. These were not Inns of Court but were connected to them. Examples include Clement's Inn and New Inn. They were linked to specific Inns of Court, like Inner Temple or Middle Temple.

Irish Inns of Court

In the Republic of Ireland, there is one Inn of Court called the Honorable Society of King's Inns. It was founded in Dublin in 1541. After Ireland was divided, a separate Northern Ireland Inn of Court was started in Belfast in 1926.

American Inns of Court

In the late 1970s, U.S. Chief Justice Warren Burger helped create Inns of Court in the United States. These were based on the English Inns. In 1985, he helped start the American Inns of Court Foundation. This group helps create and support local Inns of Court across the U.S. Each local Inn works to promote good behavior, ethics, and legal skills among lawyers and judges. They do this through ongoing education and mentoring.

Today, many major American cities have more than one Inn of Court. For example, one might be linked to a law school, and another to a specific type of law. American Inns of Court do not own buildings. They are groups of judges, lawyers, professors, and students who meet regularly. They discuss topics about legal ethics and professionalism. Their meetings usually include a meal and a program led by a team of members.

In the U.S., lawyers do not have to join an Inn of Court. Many of the jobs the Inns do in England are handled by state bar associations in America. Some states require lawyers to join their official bar association. Others, like Illinois, do not. Neither the American Inns of Court nor the bar associations train or license law students in the same way the English Inns do.

The American and English Inns have a friendly relationship, but they are not legally connected. They signed a "Declaration of Friendship." This allows members from American Inns to visit the Inns in England and Ireland, and vice versa. There is also an annual exchange program called the Pegasus Scholarships. This program lets young English barristers visit the U.S. and young American Inn members visit London. They learn about each other's legal systems.