YOUR Bar Liaison Committee: BAR LIAISON COMMITTEE ELECTIONS – Your Committee Needs YOU!
Any member of the Inn who is in practice at the Employed or Self-Employed Bar and who is not a Bencher is eligible, with the support of three proposers, to be elected to the Bar Liaison Committee (BLC). The BLC plays an important part in the governance of The Inner Temple. The upcoming triennial BLC elections provide an ideal opportunity to become more involved in the work of YOUR Inn.
To reflect the objectives of the profession and the Inn’s commitments to fairness and equality of opportunity, we encourage as diverse a membership as possible. I would like to enlist your support to make this a successful election by putting yourself forward for election to the BLC.
Membership of the BLC comprises 29 elected and co-opted members of whom up to 17 are directly elected by members of Hall across all the Circuits. In addition, representatives from each of the Circuits, the Senior and Junior Bar Auditors, the Editor of the Yearbook and the President of the Junior Bar Association are appointed as Ex-Officio members of the committee.
The BLC plays a significant part in the administration and formulation of policy for the Inn through appointed representatives from the committee on all the Bench committees and activities of the Inn, such as the Executive, Estates, Education & Training, Outreach & Scholarships, and Library Committees. Full details of the role and purpose of the BLC can be found innertemple.org.uk/who-we-are/how-we-operate/committees/blc. Furthermore, the BLC is asked regularly to comment or respond to Bar Council or Bar Standards Board consultations.
I will be writing to all members of Hall in the next few weeks to encourage their participations. In the meantime, please keep in mind the election timetable.
I very much hope that members of Hall will engage with this election to make YOUR BLC a dynamic and effective conduit to influence decision-making at the Inn and within the profession.
Harriet Holmes
Wilberforce Chambers
Chair of the Bar Liaison Committee
Election Timetable
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| By Thursday 8 October 2026 | Letter/email/social media notifications to members of Hall from the Chair explaining the purpose of the BLC and the election process, with a timetable of actions and deadlines |
| Thursday 22 October | Nominations Open |
| Monday 2 November | BLC members formally retire at the BLC meeting |
| Thursday 12 November | 5pm deadline for receipt of nominations |
| Thursday 19 November | If more than 17 nominations have been received, online ballot opens |
| Thursday 26 November | In the event of a ballot, online voting ceases at 5pm |
| Monday 30 November | First meeting with newly elected members. At this meeting, nominations for co-opted members will be approved. The Chair and Vice Chair(s) will be elected either at this meeting or immediately following the meeting. |