The Harold G. Fox Education Fund was established in 1966 to build relationships between lawyers in Canada and the Middle Temple. Each year, the Fund sponsors two scholars to undertake a ten-month placement in a law firm in Toronto. These scholarships are now open to members of all the Inns.

The scholars are each awarded C$43,500 together with reasonable travelling expenses to and from Canada. Two lakeside furnished apartments in Toronto, minutes from the CN Tower, are owned by the Fund and are provided for each scholar at a subsidised cost of C$800 per month.

The Trust makes all the arrangements for the placements in the law firms. The firms tend to be either large litigation departments in ‘Seven Sisters’ firms, the equivalent to the UK’s ‘Magic Circle’, or smaller litigation boutiques. The Trust will also assist scholars with other opportunities such as marshalling in the Ontario Court of Appeal. 

For information on the scholarship including Alumni and Stories, visit this page.

Candidates must be:

• a member of any Inn, of up to five years’ Call, or about to be Called to the Bar (and at the time of leaving for Canada, having successfully completed the BPTC);
• of good academic standing and supported by one academic reference;
• supported by references from a Pupil Supervisor or Head of Chambers if already a pupil or tenant.

The prestige of this award is such that past scholars have usually found chambers willing to postpone the start of pupillage or tenancy for the period of the scholarship.

Overall selection criteria for the Fox Scholarship:

• Intellectual ability
• Motivation/drive
• Advocacy ability
• Personal qualities including interpersonal skills, integrity, reliability, and ability to act as an ambassador for the Bar

For assessing the essay that interviewees submit, the panel also consider the following:

• Selection of topic
• Presentation
• Clarity and style
• Analysis​

Applications

Applications for the 2025 placements (which begin in September 2025) will open on 17 February 2025. If you have any questions, please email a.baguley@middletemple.org.uk.

Below is a rough timetable for the application process (this is subject to change.)