When I first joined Middle Temple last year, I was struck by the Inn’s sense of community. Until recently, however, my experience consisted exclusively of Qualifying Sessions attended via Zoom whilst battling my temperamental Wi-Fi connection. That changed in January of this year when I travelled to York to participate in the Inn’s Advocacy Training Weekend.
I was excited to learn and further develop my advocacy skills but was also nervous. I had not met anyone there before beyond an email exchange or two. What, I wondered, if no one liked me? Or, even worse, what if I made a complete fool of myself in front of my peers and the legal professionals whose deftness I so admired? These questions echoed in my mind as I arrived at the hotel where I would be staying and training for the weekend.
The hotel, Principal York, is reminiscent of a fairy tale, with its castle-like exterior, grandiose staircases, and warm lighting. The approachability and helpfulness of the hotel’s staff made my stay even more enjoyable. To begin the weekend, there was a drinks reception followed by dinner. After the events of the past two years, to see so many people gathered in one room was simultaneously surreal and exciting. As one person after another engaged with me in friendly conversation, my earlier fear dissipated.
Dinner provided not only a delicious three-course meal but also, as I gazed up at the room’s ornate ceiling, an insight into what my future might be like. That night, surrounded by my fellow members, I learned that to be a Middle Templar is to be interested in people, thoughtful and prepared to ask questions because at Middle Temple, there truly is no such thing as a silly question.
The preparation ahead of the weekend’s advocacy training had involved preparing a chronology of the cases that we had been given, as well as the dramatis personae, to help participants gain a solid understanding of the facts of each case. In small groups, each led by two barristers, we took turns conducting examination-in-chief and cross examination, as well as playing the roles of different witnesses in the case. I found the experience of receiving critical feedback surprisingly liberating, in that I did not have to worry about making mistakes and receiving lower marks as a result. This allowed me to simply focus my attention on learning what I, and my peers, needed to improve upon. The experience, although admittedly still nerve-wracking, was invaluable in helping to build my confidence and enhance what are undoubtedly fundamental skills for barristers.
In addition to developing participants’ legal skills, Middle Temple demonstrated an awareness of the centrality of pupillage to our journeys to becoming barristers. The organisers arranged the session in the style of speed-dating; with participants rotating between tables to ask barristers a variety of questions regarding pupillage applications and acquiring relevant legal experience. Once again, Middle Temple proved during this session that it is essential to ask questions fearlessly, because these exchanges are one of the things that will help to increase the accessibility of the Bar, by further demystifying the pupillage process for applicants.
One of the highlights of the weekend, beyond the advocacy training, was listening to barristers’ recollections of the best and worst moments in their careers so far. To know that the people to whose careers I aspired to had made mistakes (in multiple admissions surviving extreme embarrassment to tell the tale!) as well as experiencing triumphs, was powerful.
Another memory from the weekend that stood out was an activity whereby all participants were divided into two large groups and guided by more experienced members of the inn to write and deliver (via one line per person) a closing speech, for either the Prosecution or Defence, in one of the cases we had worked on during the small group advocacy sessions. This proved to be easier said than done, particularly with a strict time limit imposed for preparing our respective speeches. Whilst the group that emerged victorious was (and perhaps still is) highly contested, the exercise was successful in encouraging teamwork, quick thinking, and an overall enjoyment of the advocacy process.
The Advocacy Training Weekend will stay with me for three reasons. First, the people I met, second, the confidence I gained from being able to practise my advocacy skills freely, and finally, the confirmation that I made the right choice when I decided to join Middle Temple. My only hope is that I will one day be able to encourage and motivate aspiring barristers, just as I was.
Anuya Pai is currently a student on the Barristers Training Course. She has previously studied in the United States, Canada and Australia. Whenever possible, Anuya enjoys reading, writing, adding to her ever-growing book collection and listening to music.
