Qualifying Sessions

There are four Legal Terms: Michaelmas, Hilary, Easter and Trinity. The Inn holds qualifying sessions during each Legal Term. The number of qualifying sessions in each term varies, with the Easter and Trinity terms having the fewest events. Do plan ahead and think carefully about which qualifying sessions you wish to attend so that you do not need to fit a large number in at the end of the academic year. Please note that it is not possible to obtain all 12 of your qualifying sessions in the Trinity term.

The Inn offers a variety of qualifying sessions. Please see the rates for the 2019/20 academic year below.

In order to book for qualifying sessions, please log in to the Online Booking System. If you have not used the system before you will need to register and create a password. It is recommended that you change this to something memorable when you log in for the first time. If you need to reset your passport at any point please use the link on the login page to do so. Payment is taken via Sage Pay, which accepts all major credit and debit cards.

When students book on to an event they should consider it a professional commitment. Students who book on to an event and fail to show up without giving prior notice will need to explain themselves to the Education Department. If necessary, the student will be referred to a bencher of the Inn and it may affect eligibility to be called to the Bar. Do plan and think carefully about which qualifying sessions you wish to attend so that you do not need to fit a large number in at the end of the academic year, particularly if you will be observing a religious festival during the course of the qualifying sessions programme.

Please note that booking for all qualifying sessions will close at least five working days in advance of the event.

For all qualifying sessions, with the exception of residential weekends, booking closes five working days before the event. Students will be informed of the booking deadline for residential weekends if they are successful in the ballot.

Students should consider all bookings a professional commitment and should only book onto an event if they fully plan on attending. Once booked on, students will be unable to cancel and receive a refund other than in exceptional circumstances.

If you know that you will be late or unable to attend an event you must let us know by calling 020 7405 1393 or emailing booking@lincolnsinn.org.uk. Students who fail to attend a booked session without prior notice will be required to explain to themselves in writing to the Education Department. Students who fail to attend or arrive late on more than one occasion are liable to be required to attend an interview with a Bencher or senior member of the Inn before they can be Called.

Students should arrive promptly. There is more information on timings and lateness in the next section.

Students are required to complete all the registration processes at each event they attend to receive their qualifying sessions. At most sessions students are required to sign a signature sheet at the end of the event to record their attendance. Your name plus your membership number must be given. The process for some qualifying sessions may vary but members of the Inn’s staff or your Student Representatives will be on hand to help.

Failure to complete the relevant registration process will mean that the occasion will not be counted as a qualifying session. It is not permitted to register on behalf of another student. Any disregard for this rule will result in disciplinary action being taken.

During every session, mobile phones must be switched off through the event and students should conduct themselves appropriately.

Latecomers will not be awarded a qualifying session. You should arrive promptly and allow ample travelling time.  For all qualifying sessions there is an arrival time when registration takes place and a start time when the event will commence. If you arrive at or after the start time you will not be credited with the qualifying session. You must also stay until the end of the event including the drinks reception or dinner to be credited.

Should you wish to appeal for a waiver for lateness you must email booking@lincolnsinn.org.uk as soon as possible to provide an explanation for your lateness. Reasons will need to be exceptional and evidence must be provided. A decision will be taken as to whether the qualifying session will be awarded but please note that waivers for lateness are only granted in truly exceptional cases.

Usual timings for qualifying sessions are below. Finish times are provided as a guide and may vary.

Unless otherwise stated in the booking or event information, the dress code for all qualifying sessions is basically what you would be permitted to wear in court. This means a dark suit, with a shirt and a dark tie, blouse or formal top, as appropriate, and dark smart shoes. A dark dress or skirt is acceptable but should be no shorter than knee length and must be worn with a jacket. When gowns are required for a qualifying session, they will be made available in the cloakrooms. They must be returned at the end of the evening. Entry will be refused to any student who is not dressed appropriately.

Dining has always been a part of the life of the Inn and it remains an important element of the social and collegiate life of the Inn. While dining on its own is no longer part of the formal qualification for Call to the Bar, the Inn still offers a number of opportunities for members to dine in the Hall throughout the year, as well as other social activities. These include Grand Day, Guest Nights, Sunday Luncheon, the Family Day and the Garden Party. Some social events are only open to benchers/barristers but the majority are also open to student members.  Details are advertised on the website and in the members’ newsletter.

In addition, the Inn’s Students’ Association arranges a number of social activities each year specifically for students. There are also a couple of types of qualifying sessions that include a dining element, namely Lecture & Domus Dinners and Debate Dinners.

Before dining please read the document regarding dining customs (downloadable from the right-hand side of this page).

The Inn organises three residential weekends per year. Only those currently undertaking the BPTC are eligible and it is recommended that you attend one of these weekends as they are a good opportunity to meet benchers and barristers of the Inn in an informal setting. However, the weekends are heavily oversubscribed so selection is by ballot.

Each weekend includes talks on different areas of law and advocacy, question and answer sessions with practising barristers, judges and pupils and criminal and civil advocacy sessions. These weekends are hard work and you are required to prepare for them and participate fully but they are also very useful and a lot of fun.  Attendance and full participation at a residential weekend will lead to the accreditation of three qualifying sessions.

The residential weekends for 2019/20: