d from the "bar" (_q.v._) in the law courts. Every barrister in
England must be a member of one of the four ancient societies called Inns
of Court, viz. Lincoln's Inn, the Inner and Middle Temples, and Gray's Inn,
and in Ireland, of the King's Inns. The existence of the English societies
as schools can be traced back to the 13th century, and their rise is
attributed to the clause in Magna Carta, by which the Common Pleas were
fixed at Westminster instead of following the king's court, and the
professors of law were consequently brought together in London.
Associations of lawyers acquired houses of their own in which students were
educated in the common law, and the degrees of barrister (corresponding to
apprentice or bachelor) and sergeant (corresponding to doctor) were
conferred. These schools of law are now represented by the Inns of Court
(_q.v._).

Students are admitted as members of the Inns of Court, on paying certain
fees and on passing a general (elementary) examination or (alternatively)
producing evidence of having passed a public examination at a university;
their subsequent call to the bar depends on their keeping twelve terms (of
which there are four in each year), and passing certain further
examinations (see ENGLISH LAW _ad fin._). A term is "kept" by dining six
times (three for a student whose name is on the books of a university) in
hall. This is a relic of the older system in which examinations were not
included, the only requisite being a certificate from a barrister that the
student had read for twelve months in his chambers. Dining in hall then
applied a certain social test, which has now become unmeaning. The
profession of barrister is open to almost every one; but no person
connected [v.03 p.0438] with the law in any inferior capacity or who is a
chartered or professional accountant, can enter an Inn of Court as a
student until he has entirely and bona fide ceased to act or practise in
such capacity. Some of the Inns also make a restriction that their members
shall not be engaged in trade. A form of admission has to be filled up,
containing a declaration to this effect, and mentioning _inter alia_ the
age, nationality, condition in life and occupation of the applicant.
Previous to the student's call this declaration must be repeated, and he
must further declare that he is not in holy orders, has not held any
clerical preferment and has not performed any clerical functions during the
year preceding.