220:
206:
27:
165:
dates from the sixteenth century and are composed of "Benchers". Originally, the benchers were composed of the Lord
Chancellor, judges and senior barristers. Today, benchers include elected Bar Benchers, Judicial Benchers (includes all judges of the Superior Courts) and Honorary Benchers and they
131:
of the moot courtroom. More qualified barristers (known in
England as "outer" or "utter" barristers) were permitted to join the argument and stood outside the bar. The most senior barristers were permitted to sit on the bench at moots. This third class of barristers became known as "Benchers" or
149:. They have the formal power to discipline members of their Inn by suspending or expelling them from membership of the Inn, and by disbarring them. Disciplinary functions are now shared with the Council of the Inns of Court, the
140:
The practices and regulations vary from Inn to Inn, but the benchers are the ultimate governing body of the relevant Inn. The benchers govern the finances of the Inn, and they alone have the authority to admit students, to
190:
of a provincial law society. Most benchers are lawyers, but in some provinces there are also lay benchers who represent the public interest. In some provinces the head of the board is known as the
94:. The Inn may elect non-members as honorary benchers – for example, distinguished judges and lawyers from other countries, eminent non-lawyers or (in the English Inns) members of the
90:
in
Ireland), in recognition of the contribution that the barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law. Others become benchers as a matter of course when appointed as a
162:
311:
320:
91:
166:
have the power to conferring the degree of
Barrister-at-Law, suspending or disbarring barristers and dealing with disciplinary matters.
344:
105:, a position which is held for one year only. While succession to the post of Treasurer was once dependent purely on seniority (or
297:
339:
145:, and to elect other benchers. Today, the benchers of the four English Inns have common standards agreed with the
67:
194:. Paralegals are also elected as benchers, in those provinces where law societies govern their profession.
112:
153:
and its
Complaints Committee (formerly known as the Professional Conduct and Complaints Committee).
95:
150:
187:
83:
63:
324:
31:
142:
211:
87:
71:
20:
333:
183:
78:. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher can be elected while still a
59:
39:
35:
26:
315:
238:
43:
258:
233:
219:
146:
225:
201:
124:
123:
Historically, the most junior student barristers were only permitted to watch
128:
107:
102:
79:
272:
75:
19:
For the prayer book with the Jewish grace before and after meals, see
30:
Combined arms of the four Inns of Court. Clockwise from top left:
25:
111:), this is no longer the case. The Treasurer is now elected. Two
16:
Senior member of an Inn of Court in
England and Wales and Ireland
186:. A bencher in the Canadian context is a member of the
259:"Benchers | the Law Society of British Columbia"
98:, who become known as "Royal Benchers" once elected.
8:
250:
7:
14:
68:Inns of Court in Northern Ireland
218:
204:
72:Honorable Society of King's Inns
101:One member of each Inn is the
1:
279:. Law Society of Upper Canada
127:trials and stood within the
115:are also elected each year.
277:Law Society of Upper Canada
161:The governing structure of
361:
298:Halsbury's Laws of England
184:legal profession in Canada
82:(usually, but not always,
18:
58:is a senior member of an
345:Bar of England and Wales
312:Legal profession to 1850
143:call students to the bar
132:"Masters of the Bench".
301:, Barristers, para.431
47:
29:
96:British Royal Family
151:Bar Standards Board
56:Master of the Bench
188:board of directors
182:are in use by the
48:
340:Legal professions
64:England and Wales
352:
289:
288:
286:
284:
269:
263:
262:
255:
228:
223:
222:
214:
209:
208:
207:
92:High Court judge
360:
359:
355:
354:
353:
351:
350:
349:
330:
329:
308:
293:
292:
282:
280:
271:
270:
266:
257:
256:
252:
247:
224:
217:
210:
205:
203:
200:
172:
159:
138:
121:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
358:
356:
348:
347:
342:
332:
331:
328:
327:
318:
307:
306:External links
304:
303:
302:
291:
290:
264:
249:
248:
246:
243:
242:
241:
236:
230:
229:
215:
212:Ireland portal
199:
196:
171:
170:Canadian usage
168:
158:
155:
137:
134:
120:
117:
88:Senior Counsel
84:King's Counsel
21:Birkat Hamazon
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
357:
346:
343:
341:
338:
337:
335:
326:
325:Lincoln's Inn
322:
319:
317:
313:
310:
309:
305:
300:
299:
295:
294:
278:
274:
268:
265:
260:
254:
251:
244:
240:
237:
235:
232:
231:
227:
221:
216:
213:
202:
197:
195:
193:
189:
185:
181:
177:
169:
167:
164:
157:Ireland usage
156:
154:
152:
148:
144:
136:England usage
135:
133:
130:
126:
118:
116:
114:
110:
109:
104:
99:
97:
93:
89:
86:in the UK or
85:
81:
77:
73:
69:
65:
61:
57:
53:
45:
41:
37:
36:Middle Temple
33:
32:Lincoln's Inn
28:
22:
316:Inner Temple
296:
281:. Retrieved
276:
267:
253:
239:Crossbencher
191:
179:
175:
173:
160:
139:
122:
106:
100:
60:Inn of Court
55:
51:
49:
44:Inner Temple
283:24 February
234:Bench (law)
163:King's Inns
147:Bar Council
334:Categories
273:"Benchers"
245:References
226:Law portal
174:The terms
125:moot court
40:Gray's Inn
192:treasurer
180:treasurer
119:Etymology
108:auncienty
103:Treasurer
80:barrister
70:, or the
321:Benchers
198:See also
176:bencher
113:Readers
76:Ireland
66:or the
52:bencher
314:from
285:2017
178:and
323:at
129:bar
74:in
62:in
54:or
336::
275:.
50:A
42:,
38:,
34:,
287:.
261:.
46:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
