From Court to Castles Chicago Bar Association CLE in Edinburgh, Scotland
May 2nd - 5th, 2027
CLE Extension London / Custom Post Trip
Annual Chicago Bar Association CLE Trip
Join Trisha Rich and members of the Chicago Bar Association
For a remarkable journey through Scotland, combining professional enrichment with cultural discovery. Begin in historic Edinburgh, exploring iconic landmarks like Edinburgh Castle, then for an extension, travel to the vibrant city of London, known for its world-class museums, historic landmarks, and rich culture.
With a mix of guided tours, group events, and leisure time, this trip offers the perfect balance of learning, connection, and relaxation in one of the world’s most beautiful destinations.
Choose Your Package Options:
Click on the package type below to learn more.
Booking Deadline: Book by October 30th, 2026 to secure your spot on this trip.
Click on the package type above to learn more.
Package A: 6 Nights
Edinburgh & London (Air & Land)
Dates May 1st - 8th, 2027
Air & Land Package:
$6,515 Per Person Sharing Double/Twin Room
$7,750 Per Person Single Room
- Depart on Saturday, May 1st to arrive in Scotland on Sunday, May 2nd
- Group Airfare Block Included
Accommodation:
- 3 Nights in Edinburgh at The Caledonian Edinburgh 5 Stars
(May 2nd – 4th) - 3 Nights in London at The Rubens at The Palace 5 Stars (May 5th – 7th)
Features and Inclusions: *Subjected to Change*
- Guided Royal Mile Walking Tour
- Guided tour of Edinburgh Castle ft. Scottish Crown Jewels
- Edinburgh Old Town Walking Ghost Tour
- Entry and Guided Visit to High Courts Edinburgh
- 1st Class Train Edinburgh to London ft. lunch
- Guided Tour of Westminster Abbey
- Tour of Parliament Square ft. Big Ben
- Entry to Acclaimed show ‘Witness for the Prosecution’
- Optional Tour of Old Bailey, Central London’s Criminal Court
Continuing Legal Education:
- Two half days of CLE course in Edinburgh (additional fee)
Transatlantic Airfare: (Included in Package A Only)
Depart: United Airlines: Flight UA118
- May 1st, 2027 Chicago O’Hare (ORD) -> Edinburgh (EDI)
- Depart: 6:35PM – Arrive: 8:25AM (May 2nd)
Return: United Airlines: Flight UA928
- May 8th, 2027 London Heathrow (LHR) – Chicago O’Hare (ORD)
- Depart: 2:10PM – 5:20PM
Dinners & Reception:
- Edinburgh Welcome Reception & Hotel Dinner
- Edinburgh Farewell Dinner
- London Welcome Reception at hotel
- London Farewell Dinner at local restaurant
Other Meals:
- Breakfast: Included daily at all hotels EXCEPT day of arrival
- Lunch: Lunch on train (heading from Edinburgh to London)
Transportation & Other:
- Round-Trip Airport Transfers for Passengers on Group Airfare
- First Class Rail Adventure from Edinburgh to London with refreshments
- Luxury coaching for CLE Sightseeing and Evening Events
- Professional Driver & Guides thoughout
- All Hotel Taxes & Service Charges Included
- Cara Group Travel staff on site
Not Included:
- Airport Transfers if not using group airfare or traveling on group flights
- Gratuities: Drivers, Tour Managers, Step on Guides
- Travel Insurance – separate pricing
Package B: 6 Nights
Edinburgh & London (Land Only)
Dates May 2nd - 7th, 2027
Land Package:
$4,955 Per Person Sharing Double/Twin Room
$6,190 Per Person Single Room
Accommodation:
- 3 Nights in Edinburgh at The Caledonian Edinburgh 5 Stars
(May 2nd – 4th) - 3 Nights in London at The Rubens at The Palace 5 Stars (May 5th – 7th)
Features and Inclusions: *Subjected to Change*
- Guided Royal Mile Walking Tour
- Guided tour of Edinburgh Castle ft. Scottish Crown Jewels
- Edinburgh Old Town Walking Ghost Tour
- Entry and Guided Visit to High Courts Edinburgh
- 1st Class Train Edinburgh to London ft. lunch
- Guided Tour of Westminster Abbey
- Tour of Parliament Square ft. Big Ben
- Entry to Acclaimed show ‘Witness for the Prosecution’
- Optional Tour of Old Bailey, Central London’s Criminal Court
Continuing Legal Education:
- Two half days of CLE course in Edinburgh (additional fee)
Dinners:
- Edinburgh Welcome Reception & Hotel Dinner
- Edinburgh Farewell Dinner
- London Welcome Reception at hotel
- London Farewell Dinner at local restaurant
Other Meals:
- Breakfast: Included daily at all hotels EXCEPT day of arrival
- Lunch: Lunch on train (heading from Edinburgh to London)
Transportation & Other:
- Round-Trip Airport Transfers for Passengers on Group Airfare
- First Class Rail Adventure from Edinburgh to London with refreshments
- Luxury coaching for CLE Sightseeing and Evening Events
- Professional Driver & Guides thoughout
- All Hotel Taxes & Service Charges Included
- Cara Group Travel staff on site
Not Included:
- Airport Transfers if not using group airfare or traveling on group flights
- Gratuities: Drivers, Tour Managers, Step on Guides
- Travel Insurance – separate pricing
Package C: 3 Nights
Edinburgh (Land Only)
Dates May 2nd - 4th, 2027 (3 Nights Only)
Land Only Package:
$2,725 Per Person Sharing Double/Twin Room
$3,565 Per Person Single Room
Accommodation:
- 3 Nights in Edinburgh at The Caledonian Edinburgh 5 Stars
(May 2nd – 4th)
Features and Inclusions: *Subjected to Change*
- Guided Royal Mile Walking Tour
- Guided tour of Edinburgh Castle ft. Scottish Crown Jewels
- Edinburgh Old Town Walking Ghost Tour
- Entry and Guided Visit to High Courts Edinburgh
Continuing Legal Education:
- Two half days of CLE course in Edinburgh (additional fee)
Dinners:
- Edinburgh Welcome Reception & Hotel Dinner
- Edinburgh Farewell Dinner
Other Meals:
- Breakfast: Included daily at all hotels EXCEPT day of arrival
Transportation & Other:
- Round-Trip Airport Transfers for Passengers on Group Airfare
- Luxury coaching for CLE Sightseeing and Evening Events
- Professional Driver & Guides thoughout
- All Hotel Taxes & Service Charges Included
- Cara Group Travel staff on site
Not Included:
- Airport Transfers if not using group airfare or traveling on group flights
- Gratuities: Drivers, Tour Managers, Step on Guides
- Travel Insurance – separate pricing
Package D: Custom Post Trip
Customize Your Scotland Post Trip
Let us know how many days you would like to extend your trip
To receive a custom quote reach out to us by either:
- Email us at: travelteamus@caragrouptravel
- Call us at: (617) 639-0273
- Or at booking: Choose one of the CLE Package (B or C) then in the add-on section add “Receive a Custom Post Trip”
Suggested Sightseeing & Features:
- Play rounds of golf at world class Scottish courses
- Scottish whisky tasting and tours in Speyside or Lowlands
- Castle visits in the Highland & Loch Ness Excursions
- Explore Isle of Skye
- Visit Glasglow or Inverness
Traveling to Scotland & the UK
Disclaimer
You will be traveling to Northern Ireland on your trip and will need to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). You’ll have to apply through GOV.UK
Starting January 8th, 2025, travelers from the United States and Canada will need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) to enter the U.K. as part of the new “digital immigration system,” designed to make border crossings quicker and more secure for those who do not currently need a visa or have U.K. immigration status.
Sightseeing Highlights
Edinburgh Castle
St Margaret’s Chapel, built in 1093, is Edinburgh’s oldest building and still hosts weddings today, while the Honours of Scotland stored nearby are the oldest Crown jewels in Britain.
One elephant even lived in the castle stables, brought home as an unusual souvenir by returning soldiers.
The High Court of Justiciary
Scotland’s supreme criminal court dates back to 1672, making it the country’s oldest criminal court still in continuous operation, founded nearly a century before the United States existed.
Today it still shares all 36 of its judges with the Court of Session next door: one bench, two courts, one for criminal cases and one for civil.
Westminster Abbey
Every British monarch since 1066 has been crowned inside these walls and has hosted 39 coronations and 17 royal weddings. It is the resting place for over 3,300 people, from kings to Isaac Newton to Charles Dickens. During the Second World War, 60,000 sandbags were piled inside Westminster Abbey to protect royal tombs older than the country’s oldest universities.
It’s a church that has survived Vikings, Tudors and the Blitz, and it’s still where every British monarch has been crowned since 1066.
Parliament Square & Big Ben
Big Ben’s timekeeping has been fine-tuned with old pennies since the 1850s: add one to the pendulum and the clock gains two-fifths of a second a day. It’s the world’s most famous clock, run in part by loose change.
The Elizabeth Tower stands as tall as 21 London buses piled on top of one another.
Booking Details
We’ve structured this trip so nearly everything is settled before you board the plane. What you pay here is what you spend, aside from souvenirs and the occasional extra round.
Booking Deadline:
Book by October 30th, 2026 to secure your spot on this trip.
Initial Deposit:
Per person $1,000 non refundable due at booking. This deposit is non-refundable in the event of cancellation, if uninsured. Deposit payment is applied towards your overall balance due.
Interim Payment:
Per person $1500 due by November 18th, 2027
Final Payment:
Final payment is due by January 8th, 2027
Registration:
To register for this exclusive tour, please click below to complete the reservation form.
View Itinerary
To print out the full day-by-day itinerary for this tour, please click below.
Want to Extend Your Trip to Scotland?
No problem, please reach out and we can customize your trip. Email mail us at:
Learn More About Scotland
Discover Edinburgh
Athens of The North
Edinburgh became known as “Athens of The North” in the early 19th century, when the Scottish Enlightenment of the late 18th century sparked a wave of philosophical, medical and academic achievement built on a university foundation dating back to the 1580s, drawing comparisons to ancient Athens as a center of civilization.
Robert Burns reinforced the link by nicknaming the city “Edina,” echoing the goddess Athena, in his poem called “Address to Edinburgh”.
The comparison was cemented architecturally through the 1800s, as William Playfair and other architects filled the city with Grecian-style buildings, culminating in landmarks that borrowed classical Greek columns and proportions and made Edinburgh’s Athenian nickname as much a reflection of its architecture as its intellectual legacy.
A Quick History of Scotland
Ancient Clans to Modern Nation
Scotland’s history stretches from early hunter-gatherer settlements around 12,000 BC to Roman contact in AD 79 and Viking settlement by AD 800.
The fight for independence saw William Wallace’s victory at Stirling Bridge in 1297 and Robert the Bruce’s triumph at Bannockburn in 1314.
Mary, Queen of Scots ruled in the 1500s, and in 1603 James VI united the Scottish and English crowns, setting the stage for the Jacobite Risings, which ended at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.
The Age of Enlightenment followed, along with industrialization and the discovery of North Sea oil in 1967.
Did You Know?
Golf was invented in Scotland in the 14oos
The game began on the country’s eastern coast and was actually banned by King James II in 1457 for distracting soldiers from military training! It later found its spiritual home at St Andrews, where the world’s first 18-hole course was built in 1764.
The Unicorn is Scotland's National Animal
Scotland’s official national animal is the mythical unicorn! It was first introduced to the royal coat of arms around the mid-1500s as a symbol of purity and power, and when King James VI of Scotland became James I of England in 1603, he replaced one of the two unicorns with England’s lion to represent unity between the two nations. You can still spot unicorns hiding in plain sight across Edinburgh and beyond.
Edinburgh Invented the Modern Fire Brigade
he Edinburgh Fire Engine Establishment, formed in 1824, was the first government-funded, professional municipal fire brigade in the world! Before this, firefighters were privately hired by insurance companies and would only protect buildings carrying their brass badge, leaving uninsured homes to burn.Led by 23-year-old James Braidwood, Edinburgh’s new service was free to all citizens and set the standard for professional training still used today.
Scotland has the 2nd-Oldest National Flag
Scotland’s flag, called Saltire or Saint Andrew’s Cross, is the second-oldest national flag still in use, officially dating to 1503. Right behind Denmark’s, which has flown since 1370.
The Saltire’s origin story dates back to 832 AD, when an outnumbered Pictish and Scottish army prayed before battle and saw a white cross form in the clouds against the blue sky. Their king vowed that if they won, St Andrew would become Scotland’s patron saint.