Richard Keen QC, Dean of Faculty called as Master of the Bench of Middle Temple

24 February 2011

Richard Keen QC, Dean of the Faculty of Advocates and Roy Martin QC, his predecessor as Dean, have been called as Masters of the Bench of Middle Temple.

The Middle Temple -along with the Inner Temple, Lincoln's Inn and Gray's Inn- is one of the four Inns of Court with the exclusive right to call men and women to the Bar in England and Wales.

The Inn comprises student, barrister and Bench members and is governed by Masters of the Bench, usually senior members of the judiciary or Queen's Counsel.

Following a Bench Call in Middle Temple Hall Mr Keen and Mr Martin are now among the 500 or so "Benchers" of the Middle Temple, in effect senior members of the Inn with a responsibility for helping its running.

The Middle Temple and the three other Inns of Court were established in the middle of the 14th century.