Structure and governance[edit]
The Temple is governed by the Parliament, an executive council made up of the elected Benchers.[32] The Parliament is led by the Treasurer, who is elected annually to serve a one-year term; the current Treasurer is the Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Tomlinson and the immediate past Treasurer is Simon Thorley QC. The Temple also has a Reader, who traditionally holds the position for a year before being made the Treasurer;[8] the current Reader is the Rt. Hon. Lord Justice Moore-Bick.[33]
Inner Temple was historically governed by a Treasurer and three Governors. Members were divided into two categories; Clerks (Clerici) admitted to Clerks' Commons and Fellows Socii admitted to Fellows' Commons. The Governors held Parliament with a small group of senior barristers; in 1508, for example, Parliament was held with three Governors and four senior barristers.[34] The last Governor was elected in 1566, and Benchers took over later that century.[35] Benchers, or Masters of the Bench, are elected members of the Parliament responsible for overseeing the estates, the Inn's finances and setting internal policy.[36] Today there are approximately 200 governing Benchers (barristers and members of the judiciary) and honorary, academic and Royal Benchers appointed as well as those practising in other jurisdictions.[36]