Maryland Trial Attorneys Find Camaraderie in Inns of Court

Last week the J. Dudley Diggs American Inn of Court in Baltimore had its last meeting of the season. While it's on my mind, I thought I would recommend the Inns of Court to anyone looking for a place to meet and learn from other lawyers and judges. Trial attorneys in Maryland and across America have benefited for decades from these unique institutions.

In this state we have five Inns of Court, one each in Baltimore, Annapolis, Howard County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County. Most familiar with Baltimore's Inn, I can shed some light on its activities. But first some background:

We have the English to thank for these groups. Shrouded in the mystery of medieval times, the English Inns of Court today serve as they have since at least the 14th century, as small, local universities of law. The four Inns "across the pond" are, in fact, central to professional life; they have exclusive right to admit the degree of Barrister at Law, which enables one to practice as a courtroom advocate.

Indeed, to even become a barrister, a law student must dine and participate in activities at his or her Inn’s Great Hall. This is no chore; the Great Halls are lively focal points of professional and social activity for British barristers and have hosted over the centuries countless dinners, debates, and discussion of law.

Chief Justice Warren E. Burger was impressed with the way Inns of Court fostered the mentoring of new lawyers while encouraging civility, professionalism and high ethical standards among barristers. In 1977, he suggested that lawyers and judges in the United States import the concept of English Inns of Court. He created in the early 1980s a committee to look into the idea, and thereafter was born a national organization now known as the American Inns of Court Foundation.

There are now 300 Inns of Courts flourishing in the U.S. They are usually composed of about 60 members, who are divided into categories: Senior members of the bar are known as "masters of the bench"; intermediate members are called "barristers"; and younger lawyers are known as "associate members". The Inns are led by a judge, who is president, and a practicing lawyer, known as Councilor of the Inn.

At least 15 years old, the J. Dudley Diggs American Inn of Court meets monthly at the Hopkins Club to enjoy a social hour, dinner and a program. One of the unique features of the Inns of Court in the U.S. is that the programs rarely involve one person presenting a paper. This does happen sometimes, though, when an especially distinguished member presents, such as when Chief Judge Joseph Murphy educated the group on evidence. In most instances, young and older members collaborate on presentations. Over the years, the J. Dudley Diggs American Inn of Court has heard programs on ethical considerations in settlement discussions, oral argument in the Appellate Courts; race and sexual bias in the courts; how to deal with difficult lawyers; and a host of other subjects.

These monthly dinners are great opportunities for attorneys to learn and grow, especially for younger members of the bar. Imagine: 300 clubs across the country taking their cue from an age-old (and vital) English idea. If you think you would like to join an Inn, feel free to contact me, and I can put you in touch with a representative who can let you know about membership policies in your community.