Chief Minister called as Master of the Bench

The Chief Minister was called as a Master of the Bench (or ‘Bencher’) of the Middle Temple in London recently.

The ceremony was attended by Attorney General Michael Llamas, QC, Puisne Judge Karen Ramagge Prescott and Justine Picardo, herself a barrister and member of the Middle Temple.

Mr Picardo now joins Chief Justice Anthony Dudley and Mrs Justice Rammage Prescott as Benchers of the Middle Temple.

Former Chief Minister Sir Joshua Hassan, QC, was also a Bencher.

Middle Temple is one of the four Inns of Court which have the exclusive right to call students to the Bar, with Masters of the Bench being responsible for the governance of the Inn.

Masters are elected by their peers from the Inn’s members who have been Called to the Bar.

The majority of the Inn’s Benchers are Queen's Counsel or senior members of the judiciary.

Middle Temple currently has 469 Ordinary Benchers and 96 Senior (retired) Benchers.

“On behalf of his Cabinet colleagues, I would like to extend our most sincere congratulations to the Chief Minister on his appointment,” said Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia.