Education. Heritage. The future.
About us
The Middle Temple Charity (MTC) is the charitable arm of the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple. We raise and steward philanthropic support to advance the Inn’s charitable objectives by supporting legal education and training, preserving Middle Temple’s heritage, raising standards in advocacy and professional conduct, and promoting diversity in advocacy and legal services.
This commitment is long‑standing. From the early eighteenth century, the Inn supported abandoned children found within its precincts. Middle Temple has also helped shape the very framework of charity in England: in the early seventeenth century, Bencher Francis Moore played a defining role in drafting the Statute of Charitable Uses (1601) and delivered a landmark Reading in 1607, widely regarded as the first treatise on charity law in England.
Today, MTC is overseen by an independent Board of Trustees who volunteer their time. We keep overheads low and use every gift transparently and solely for charitable purposes, with funds raised for specific projects ring‑fenced and managed in line with charity best practice. MTC is registered with the Charity Commission (No. 1205068) and the Fundraising Regulator.
Our Impact
Building Courtroom Confidence Through Experience
Middle Temple Charity enabled four finalists of the Rosamund Smith Mooting Competition to attend an intensive advocacy exchange with the University of North Carolina (UNC).
The programme offered participants a rare opportunity to test their advocacy skills in a different legal system. Participants argued cases, strengthened their case theory, built confidence in oral submissions, and responded more effectively to judicial intervention.
“I learnt the value of focusing on my strongest points. Slimming down my approach helped me speak more slowly and confidently”
Training in International Rule of Law
The Middle Temple Charity sponsored students to visit the International Court of Justice and International Criminal Court in The Hague, bringing international law to life.
Participants gained first-hand insight, broadened perspectives, and deepened their understanding of the international Rule of Law, thereby enhancing their readiness to engage in global legal practice.
“The Amity Visit was far more than an educational trip; it deepened my appreciation for the Rule of Law and the role of lawyers in shaping a more equitable world”
Conserving Middle Temple Hall’s Heritage
With support from the Golden Bottle Trust, the Middle Temple Charity funded the specialist restoration of the historic Lamb & Flag (Agnus Dei) ceiling painting in Middle Temple Hall’s lantern.
Adopted for its association with the Knights Templar, the Lamb and Flag has long been a defining emblem of the Inn. The restoration preserved this historic symbol, ensuring its continued prominence while safeguarding an enduring link to the Temple’s origins and identity.
“It is thought fit… to retain… these ancient devises and armes of the olde Templers…”
Legacies
A gift in your Will to Middle Temple Charity (MTC) will help secure the Inn’s future.
Your legacy can support scholarships and education, promote excellence in advocacy and the rule of law, and widen access to the profession. It can also help preserve Middle Temple’s unique heritage: its Elizabethan Hall, Library and historic collections.
As a registered charity, gifts to MTC are generally exempt from UK Inheritance Tax and Capital Gains Tax, helping your legacy go further.
For further information on leaving a in your Will, please email Socorro Torres-Duarte, Head of Fundraising on [email protected], T: 0207 427 4850
Will you ensure that Middle Temple continues to shape the future of dedicated people and the legal profession on which we all depend?
Please give what you can today.
Contact us
Ashley Building, Middle Temple Lane,
London, EC4Y 9BT
020 7427 4800
Registered in England and Wales
Registration number 15183999
Registered office: Ashley Building, Middle Temple, London. EC4Y 9BT
Middle Temple Charity is a private company limited by guarantee.
Middle Temple Charity is registered with the Charity Commission under number 1205068.