The Master's Message

I have been thrilled to be your Master for a second time. I can report to you that the Company continues to thrive and I have been keen to build on the solid foundations laid down by my predecessors.

You will find in this Newsletter an appreciation of the late Harold Crowter, who, all things being equal, should have been the Master this year.

The Apprentice Scheme has attracted great interest. We have a number of mentors who are willing to assist those who want to start their arbitral careers but there is always room for more. So please contact myself or Philip Fidler if you want further details and, even better, if you are willing to help in some way.

Assistant Kay Linnell has pioneered the Yeoman Scheme whereby the Company seeks to encourage students and younger members of the professions to become involved in the Company on a limited basis with a view to becoming Freemen and Liverymen in due course. Kay will welcome support from any member of the Company who feels able to assist in this very worthwhile project.

The membership of the Court has also changed. In April we formally welcomed as Assistants Christopher Gardner Q.C., Philip Fidler (trustee of the Charitable Trust and our new Chairman of the Apprentice Scheme) and Michael Goodridge M.B.E. (also a trustee) and we are looking forward to using their talents to promote the welfare of the Company.

Thank you to the many who responded to our questionnaire (drawn up by Assistant Karl Davies) about Company events. It has been a great help to myself and the Wardens in judging what activities to organise for the Company in the future.

I write this immediately following our Livery weekend in Birmingham. Those of you who did not attend missed a treat!  We started off on Friday evening at a local restaurant where two of those present celebrated "significant" birthdays. This was followed by a busy Saturday which involved a bus tour around the city (with the more hardy of us sitting on the open upper deck under umbrellas),a private viewing at the Barber Institute, lunch on the canal and a trip to the "back to backs" to learn something about the social history of the area.  On Sunday Catherine and I were pleased to welcome Company members to our home for lunch before we broke up and went our separate ways. 

The Company continues to play its part in the life of the City of London. We are active members of the Financial Services Group of the Modern Livery Companies, the purpose of which is to provide information and relevant expertise to the Lord Mayor of the day for the purpose of promoting the City as a place for business – and arbitration and dispute resolution!

I have had the chance to represent the Company to the City and beyond and I am very grateful to you for allowing me to do so. Although we are a modern Livery Company the skill that we represent is more and more relevant to the business life of the City of London and so I am confident that, with your enduring support, the profile of the Worshipful Company of Arbitrators will continue to rise.

Catherine joins me in sending all good wishes to you and your families.

Michael Stephens
The Master