 Many academics , including William Holdsworth , a man considered to be one of the best legal academics in history , maintain that this period saw a decline in the standard of teaching at all the Inns . From 1640 onwards no readings were held , and barristers such as Sir Edward Coke remarked at the time that the quality of education at the Inns of Court had decreased . Holdsworth put this down to three things — the introduction of printed books , the disinclination of students to attend moots and readings and the disinclination of the Benchers and Readers to enforce attendance . 
