Appointment of 5 members of the Family Procedure Rule Committee
Lord Chancellor appoints Jane Harris, Hannah Perry, Dylan Jones, Michael Horton and William Tyler QC as new members of the Family Procedure Rule Committee.
The Lord Chancellor, in consultation with the Lord Chief Justice, who has delegated this to the President of the Family Division, has appointed
- Jane Harris
- Hannah Perry
- Dylan Jones
- Michael Horton
- William Tyler
as members of the Family Procedure Rule Committee (FPRC). These appointments are for 3 years from 3 November 2014 and are subject to clearance.
The FPRC is a statutory advisory non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Justice. It was established under section 75 of the Courts Act 2003 (the 2003 Act) to make rules of court governing the practice and procedure to be followed in family proceedings in the High Court, county courts and magistrates’ courts. Section 75 of the 2003 Act was amended by the Crime and Courts Act 2013 to provide that the FPRC shall make rules of court governing the practice and procedure to be followed in family proceedings in the High Court and the family court.
The appointments were made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any is declared) to be made public. All have declared that they have not been involved in any political activity. Mr Horton has declared that he is a member of the Society of Labour Lawyers’ Family Law Committee.
Biographies
Jane Harris – lay member
Ms Harris has extensive working knowledge of the family justice system and worked as a children’s guardian for 27 years - she is due retire. Ms Harris also worked for 17 years as an independent social worker providing expert assessments.
Dylan Jones – solicitor member
Mr Jones was called to the Bar in 2000, admitted as a solicitor in 2003 and currently works as a director at R Gordon Roberts Laurie & Co in Llangefni, North Wales. His experience covers all aspects of family law with particular expertise in public law children matters in all levels of the Family Court and High Court. He is also a member of the Law Society’s Children Law Sub Committee and Wales Committee and is Secretary of the Legal Wales Foundation.
Hannah Perry – solicitor member
Ms Perry is a family law solicitor specialising in public law children cases. She is a member of the Law Society’s Children Panel and is a Resolution accredited specialist in the areas of children law (private) and domestic abuse. She undertakes much of her own advocacy within the Family Courts including cases in the High Court. She works for TV Edwards LLP and is based in London.
Michael Horton – barrister member
Mr Horton is a family law barrister, was called to the Bar in 1993 and has been in private practice since 1995. He is currently a barrister at Coram Chambers where he specialises in family law and family property law and has experience at all levels of court including the Court of Appeal.
William Tyler QC – barrister member
Mr Tyler specialises in the practice of family law relating to children. He has been in full-time practice as a barrister since 1997. He has particular experience of cases in the High Court and at the County Court level of the Family Court. He sits as a recorder in Yorkshire and Tyneside hearing family law cases involving children, in both private and public law.