FQ

We will always be candid and, with this in mind, we must confess that the age of the Oracle is unclear. The fact that it has existed in unincorporated as well as incorporated bases over the decades serves to further muddy the waters surrounding this question. There have been incorporations in the US in the early 20th century (and thereafter) and UK incorporations in 2007 and 2020 (which is current and which we anticipate will continue long into the future).

No. For reasons of client confidentiality and to comply with relevant privacy and data protection legislation, the Oracle will neither confirm nor deny whether any organisation is a client. We do not fulfil the function of providing client introductions unless this is a service for which we are under contract with a client.

No – certainly not! While some of structures and terminologies echo those of a bygone monastic era, we preserve these only because (i) they continue to be effective and (ii) because we respect the fellows who came before us. While our fellows wear bands on formal occasions, these are academical bands (and not preaching bands). We are an entirely secular consultancy that provides counsel and advocacy that is clear and unfettered by preconceptions of any sort. Our clients and our fellows hail from all religions or, in some cases, none at all.

No. We do sometimes work with or for Oxford University or, indeed, other universities and some of our fellows may have historical or ongoing relationships with these universities. However, we prize our independence and understand that its staunch defence is key to our success.

As it happens, most of our fellows (staff) do have doctoral degrees. That said, doctoral degrees are definitely not required: we appoint solely on merit and seek the very best fellows from around the world.