This year I have had the immense privilege of representing the student population through my role as President of the Middle Temple Students’ Association (MTSA). It has been a whirlwind filled with new friends, extraordinary experiences and fascinating training.
During the last year, MTSA has worked hard to hold engaging events, organise Middle Temple teams for competitions and represent the student interest behind the scenes at meetings relating to various committees.
I have listed a few of my highlights of the MTSA’s year below.
The first fixed MTSA Debating Team
Our debating officer, Silas Boateng, created the MTSA’s first fixed debating team which has been enthusiastically supported by students. The team has worked hard this year through a variety of events, both in-person and virtual, and they were finalists in the recent Inter-Inn Debating competition organised by Gray’s Inn.
The team has held many successful debate events, including our recent History and Culture Day, which for me was a personal highlight. It has also enabled fascinating debates triggered by the differences between the various international jurisdictions. The event was filled with moving and insightful topics, many of which were personal to members of the team and really celebrated the rich cultures that make the Inn so special.
I want to thank everybody who has attended our debating events and for helping to create such a strong team.
I encourage all students to consider joining the team and keep an eye out for upcoming MTSA Debate events.
MTSA Advent Calendar
I am particularly proud of our MTSA advent calendar. Through my work at MTSA I was quickly welcomed into the Inn by many senior members and offered so many pieces of invaluable advice. As someone who did not grow up in a legal family, I cherished this advice and wanted to find a way to share such knowledge that was accessible to all students.
As Christmas was approaching, I decided to create a Middle Temple Advent Calendar, each day sharing a different piece of advice given to students from some of the brightest minds in Middle Temple. I am beyond grateful to all the members of the Inn who responded and kindly took the time to contribute to our calendar. I am also thankful for the MTSA communications officer, Helena Bongard, who, with the benefit of her artistic prowess, shared the collated tips on our social media every morning in December (whilst we were in the thick of exams!).
MTSA Socials
The MTSA Christmas party was held in Hall and it was the perfect way to relax once the winter exams had finished. However, I will admit that it was not a typical Middle Temple event; we had a ‘bucking reindeer’, a photo booth, a singer and impromptu karaoke at the end of the night! The catering staff created a gorgeous Christmas-themed buffet and there was a large dessert table full of tempting treats. I have to say a massive thank you to our social secretary, Becky Moon for working with me to put together such a fun evening. The Christmas party was so much fun, and it was so lovely to meet so many students (and of course, Santa!)
MTSA also enjoyed the Inter-Inn Bar Crawl at the beginning of the year and later in the year partnered with Inner Temple Students in an Inter-Inn netball tournament in aid of the charity SolidariTee. Team Temple was victorious! I must also say that I heard we had equally strong representation at the Inter-Inn pub crawl.
Mooting
We enjoyed a fascinating virtual moot event this year, titled ‘for moot’s sake! A short discourse on the art of mooting’, run by our Mooting Officer Joel George. The event was very well attended, with a strong panel of four mooting experts, all at different stages in their career; this was particularly helpful for the Q&A where the panellists were able to approach questions with their varying perspectives.
MTSA has been involved in multiple moot competitions, with highlights being our victory at the Inter-Inn Mooting Competition and one of our teams being awarded runners up in the recent 4 Pump Court Pride Moot – congratulations!
A Message from Me
On a personal note, I have been blown away by the support and kindness shown from all branches of the Inn during my first year as a member. It quickly struck me that our toasts to Domus at dinners are accurate – Middle Temple truly is a professional home. I am so proud to be a Middle Templar and I encourage all students reading this to stand for a position in the MTSA this October; it has been a wonderful experience.
If I may, I want to give my three top tips for students entering the Inn this year. In essence, I would encourage students to embrace Middle temple as their Domus:
- Take the time to speak to the members of the Inn at events; their advice is gold dust!
- Embrace the history and culture of the Inn, sometimes it is easy to forget during a lunch break in the Hall that you are sitting in the same room where many monarchs have dined!
- Take an active part in the Inn. Attend Qualifying Sessions, not just for the points, but to learn – if you have the time I recommend attending as many as you can – the education department have a fabulous timetable.
The Inn truly respects and values the input of its students, so run to join MTSA and embrace all aspects of life as a Middle Templar.
Thank you to everybody within the Inn for making my first year as a member so special, and I wish the upcoming MTSA committee all the best for the next year.
Skye is the President of the MTSA and a Jules Thorn Scholar. She was Called to the Bar in July 2023. Skye is currently a clinical negligence paralegal specialising in Spinal Cord Injuries at Aspire Law, and hopes to pursue a career at the clinical negligence Bar.
