Formed over 60 years ago, Outer Temple’s journey is a story of growth and achievement. We are constantly building on our solid roots and core values to stay ahead and drive forward in the ever changing legal world. Read about our brand values and our journey below.
Outer Temple Chambers takes its name directly from its London premises – The Outer Temple, located close to the historic Temple Church and opposite the Royal Courts of Justice.
Steeped in legal history, the area is well known for housing some of the best barristers’ chambers in the world and we are proud to sit amongst those. Formed over 60 years ago, we have relocated within the area a few times, finally settling in The Outer Temple in 2003 to accommodate our ever-growing team. 2020 witnessed profound change, accelerating the digital disruption of how we all work. Outer Temple has adapted to these changes, and offer a modern and agile legal service, underpinned by our longstanding reputation of excellence.
We want our brand to reflect the way we work, the way we think and the way we act as a team. Brand research identified our core strengths. Amongst other traits, we are perceived as friendly, approachable, ambitious, forward-thinking and professional.
We are professional. Instruct us and you get our full attention. Our barristers are instructed on the biggest and most complex cases for our attention to detail and forward thinking approach.
We are personable. Client service is paramount to us. We work for you and with you. Our teams take the time to get to know you in order to ensure you have the right people working on your case. Client feedback on our barristers and our practice management teams demonstrates this.
We are powerful. And proud to be so. Our work influences laws. Our advice shapes legal frameworks. Our world-class barristers know what they are doing. We are leaders in the fields in which we work. We boast a host of awards and legal acknowledgements.
In building our brand, we sought inspiration from our own front door. Literally. The ornate architecture, the portal window, the glorious koi carp guarding the entrance.
From humble roots as a tavern to the home of one of the leading legal chambers in the world, our building is integral to our brand.
Nobody quite knows what exactly inspired the architects to incorporate koi into the doorway but we like to think that it was a nod to the architecture around the City of London and the River Thames running behind the building. The dolphin-adorned lampposts along the Embankment and the river itself complement the nautical theme to our doorway. The portal window above our doorway and intricate lattice carving provides a beautiful, meaningful icon for Outer Temple Chambers.
Koi carp are revered around the world for their power and strength, courage and perseverance. These values are synonymous with our team. Our black and gold elegant Strand entrance already portrays the quality and professionalism we offer. Visit us, look up at the beautiful architecture and you will see the power of our set. Professional, personable, powerful.
As a set, we have grown exponentially in the last decase and now boast over 100 barristers – with around 80 based in our namesake London building and other members based in our international office in Dubai and around the world, including Europe, Asia, Australasia and the Americas. We continue on an important journey to greater diversity with our first female Head of Chambers, Sarah Crowther KC, appointed in 2020, and two new female silk appointments in 2026 (Lydia Seymour KC and Martina Murphy KC), bringing the percentage to 43%.
Read more about the history of our building and the people that have made it happen
