Blank Rome’s Anthony Haller Elected Master of the Bench of Gray’s Inn, London
Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that Anthony B. Haller, partner and member of the Firm’s executive committee, has been elected as a Master of the Bench of Gray’s Inn, London. A Master of the Bench, also known as a Bencher, of an Inn of Court in England and Wales is a lifetime office in recognition of the contribution that a barrister has made to the life of the Inn or to the law. The Benchers of an Inn constitute its governing body and are usually Queen’s Counsel or judges; it is a rare distinction for a barrister admitted and practicing in a foreign jurisdiction to be elected as a Bencher.
This exceptional honor has been bestowed on Anthony in light of his contributions to the American Inns of Court movement, the links he has helped forge between Gray’s Inn and the American Inns of Court, and the bonds he has helped foster between the American and English Inns of Court, including the establishment of a National Advocacy Program in conjunction with the English Inns of Court College of Advocacy.
Anthony serves as a trustee and executive committee member of the American Inns of Court Foundation and is a past president and current member of the executive committee of the Temple American Inn of Court in Philadelphia, where he lives and works. The Temple American Inn of Court has organized award-winning programs with Gray’s Inn, most notably the spirited and good-humored Oxford style debates on the legality of the Declaration of Independence held on both sides of the Atlantic, which Anthony conceived and promoted.
The Honorable Society of Gray’s Inn is one of the four Inns of Court, which have the exclusive right to call men and women to the Bar of England and Wales. Gray’s Inn exists to support, educate, and develop its student barrister members and to provide continuing professional development to its qualified barrister members in accordance with its historic traditions. For more than 600 years, Gray’s Inn barristers have made their mark on the world, benefiting from and contributing to the unique sense of belonging and mutual support that comes with membership. To learn more, please visit graysinn.org.uk.
At Blank Rome, Anthony concentrates his practice on all aspects of labor and employment law, including preventative counseling, complex litigation, trial, and appellate work. He previously served as chair of the Firm’s Labor and Employment group from 2008 to 2013, and currently leads the Trade Secret and Unfair Competition practice. Earlier this year, Anthony was named an Influencer of Law in employment litigation by The Philadelphia Inquirer, and in 2018 received Finance Monthly’s Trade Secrets Lawyer of the Year Award. He has been regularly recognized by Chambers USA and Chambers Global as a leader in labor and employment law and is a frequent writer and lecturer on employment law issues, regularly appearing on The American Law Journal.