Inns of Court

The four 'Inns of Court' have the right to Call men and women to the Bar - i.e. to admit those who have fulfilled the necessary qualifications to the degree of Barrister-at-Law, which entitles them, after a period of pupillage (vocational training) either to practise as an independent advocate in the Courts of England and Wales or to be employed by government or local government service, industry, commerce or finance.

So, to qualify as a barrister, everyone must join one of the four Inn's and keep a qualifying session on at least 12 occasions.

The government of each Inn is ultimately controlled by the Masters of the Bench, elected mainly from among its members who are also senior members of the judiciary or Queen's Counsel.