Appointment of Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal: September 2016
The Queen has approved the appointment of 1 Lady Justice and 5 Lord Justices of Appeal.
The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Mrs Justice Thirlwall as Lady Justice of Appeal and the following as Lord Justices of Appeal: Mr Justice Flaux, Mr Justice Henderson, Mr Justice Hickinbottom, Mr Justice Irwin and Mr Justice Moylan.
These appointments will fill forthcoming vacancies in the Court of Appeal arising from autumn 2016.
Further information
These appointments are required in the light of forthcoming retirements in the Court of Appeal and the promotion of Sir Terence Etherton who will take up appointment as Master of the Rolls on 3 October.
The appointment of Lord and Lady Justices of the Court of Appeal are made by Her Majesty The Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor following the recommendation of an independent selection panel chaired by Lord Chief Justice, Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd. The other panel members were: the Master of the Rolls, Lord Dyson and 3 lay Commissioners of the Judicial Appointments Commission: Sir Andrew Ridgway, Ms Debra van Gene and Professor Emily Jackson.
In accordance with section 79 of the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 as amended by the Crime and Courts Act 2013 the panel determined the selection process to be followed. In accordance with s10(3) of the Senior Courts Act 1981, the selection exercise was open to applicants that satisfied the judicial eligibility condition on a 7 year basis or were Judges of the High Court.
Biographical notes
Mr Justice Flaux
Called to the Bar, Inner Temple, 1978 (Bencher 2002). He practised as a Barrister from 1979 to 2007, was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1994, became a Recorder in 2000 and was authorised to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2002. He has been a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division, since May 2007. He served as a Presiding Judge on the Midland Circuit between 2010 and 2013. He became a Member of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in 2013 and was appointed Judge in Charge of the Commercial Court from July 2014 to December 2015. He was appointed as Chairman of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in January 2016.
Mr Justice Henderson
Called to the Bar, Lincoln’s Inn, 1977 (Bencher 2004). He practised as a Barrister (Chancery) from 1978 to 2006, was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1995 and was authorised to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2001. He has been a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Chancery Division, since January 2007.
Mr Justice Hickinbottom
Admitted as a Solicitor in 1981 and a Solicitor Advocate (all courts) in 1997; and made a Bencher of Middle Temple, in 2009. In 1994, he was appointed as a Parking Adjudicator and, in the same year, he became an Assistant Recorder. He became a Recorder in 1998, a Circuit Judge in 2000 and a Deputy High Court Judge in 2001. He was appointed as Chief Social Security and Child Support Commissioner in 2003, Chief Pension Appeals Commissioner in 2005, Designated Civil Judge for Wales in 2007, and became the first President of the Administrative Appeals Chamber of the Upper Tribunal in 2008. He has been a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division, since January 2009.
Mr Justice Irwin
Called to the Bar, Gray’s Inn, 1976 (Bencher 2002) and to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 1997. He practised as a Barrister until 2006. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1997, Assistant Recorder in 1999 and Recorder in 2000. He was Chairman of the Bar Council in 2004. He has been a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division, since May 2006. He served as a Presiding Judge for the Northern Circuit between 2008 and 2012. He was appointed as a Member of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC) in 2012. He served as Chairman of SIAC and of the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission and the Pathogens Access Appeal Commission between January 2013 and December 2015.
Mr Justice Moylan
Called to the Bar, Inner Temple, 1978 (Bencher 2007). He was Junior Counsel to the Queen’s Proctor between 1997 and 2000. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2000 and a Recorder in 2002. He was authorised to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2004. He has been a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Family Division, since February 2007. He served as Family Division Liaison Judge for the North Eastern Circuit between 2008 and 2015.
Mrs Justice Thirlwall
Called to the Bar, Middle Temple, 1982 (Bencher 2008). She was appointed as an Assistant Recorder in 1998, as Queen’s Counsel in 1999 and as a Recorder in 2000. She has been a Judge of the High Court of Justice, Queen’s Bench Division, since April 2010. She served as a Presiding Judge on the Midland Circuit between 2011 and 2015 and was appointed to the Sentencing Council in April 2016.