It is indeed a rare occurrence when an English Court of Appeal judge graces Malaysian soil. ATC was honoured to play host to this event which was jointly organised by the Inner Temple Alumni in Malaysia and the ASEAN Law Association.. The Right Honourable Lord Justice Sir Anthony May, Master Treasurer of the prestigious Inner Temple was invited to Malaysia to meet with the Inner Temple Alumni, and to give a dialogue about the Common Law.

ATC was extremely privileged that Sir Anthony requested to meet ATC students in order to get a feel for the types of individuals pursuing law degrees in Malaysia.

He gave a dialogue on the 26th August 2008 in ATC to more than 150 eager students who were thrilled to be in Sir Anthony’s presence. He gave a glimpse of his early days as a student in the Inner Temple, as a barrister and finally as a judge in the Queen’s Bench division. Apart from his personal experience, Sir Anthony also spoke about the option of Malaysian students doing the Bar in England and the four Inns that offered this opportunity. He emphasized on the benefits obtainable from the Inner Temple. His talk which was enlightening, humorous and personal provided all present with a sense of the growth and development of the law and the bench in the United Kingdom.

The floor was then opened to students who posed him a wide range of questions, among which were his opinion about the adversarial system, judicial precedent and the procedures of applying to the Inner Temple. His replies provided an insightful peek to a legal world that the students only touched through the pages of their textbooks.

Before Sir Anthony left, he indulged in photography sessions with our students. He commented that he was very pleased to have met our students who were clearly enthusiastic about the law and curious about the United Kingdom.

His visit will certainly remain as a milestone in our students’ memories and in ATC’s history.