Appointment of 2 new members to the Civil Procedure Rule Committee
The Lord Chancellor has appointed 2 new legally qualified members to the Civil Procedure Rule Committee.
The Lord Chancellor has appointed Isabel Hitching QC and Tom Montagu-Smith QC as legally qualified members to the Civil Procedure Rule Committee (CPRC) for 3 years commencing 1 October 2020.
CPRC is a non-departmental public body. It was established under the Civil Procedure Act 1997 (CPA 1997) to make rules of court, setting out the practice and procedure, for the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal, the High Court and the County Court.
Legally qualified members of CPRC are appointed by the Lord Chancellor under section 2(1B) of the CPA 1997. The appointment of legally qualified members comply with the Governance Code on Public Appointments and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.
Biographies
Isabel Hitching QC is a barrister and arbitrator practising at Crown Office Chambers and a former lecturer at Christ Church, Oxford. Appointed Queen’s Counsel (QC) in 2019 she is a specialist in commercial, construction and related fields. Prior to taking silk Isabel was a member of the Attorney General’s panel. She continues to act for the government as a QC as well as for private clients and insurers. Isabel is a member of the Bar Council International Committee.
Tom Montagu-Smith QC is a barrister practising at XXIV Barristers Chambers and was appointed Queen’s Counsel (QC) in 2017. Tom was appointed as a judge of the Astana International Financial Centre Courts in 2018. Tom has a broad commercial practice in both arbitration and litigation; and also has particular expertise in cross-border enforcement of judgments and arbitration awards.