High Court retirements and appointments...

Parker J retires

Sir Kenneth Parker (70) was called to the Bar (G) in 1975, took Silk in 1992 and elected as a Bencher in 2002. He was appointed an Assistant Recorder in 1999 and a Recorder in 2000. He was appointed Deputy Chairman of the Information Tribunal and National Security Appeals Tribunal in 2001 (now known as Deputy Judge of the Upper Tribunal (Administrative Appeals Chamber) and Judge of the First Tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber)). He was appointed a Recorder in 2005. He was appointed a Law Commissioner and approved to sit as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2006. He was appointed a Judge of the High Court (Queen’s Bench Division) in 2009 and a Judge by Request (Upper Tribunal (Immigration Appeals Chamber)) in 2010.

Tony's bro (the one who went to Balliol) takes over the Commercial Court from Flaux J

Mr Justice (William James Lynton) Blair (65) was appointed as a Recorder in 1998, a Legal Chairman to the Financial Services and Markets Tribunal in 2001, a Chairman to the Pensions Regulator Tribunal in 2005 and became a High Court Judge of the Queen’s Bench Division in February 2008. He was then appointed as a Tribunal Judge in the Upper Tribunal Tax and Chancery in 2009 and First Tier Tax Chamber in 2010.

& David Richards LJ gets replaced by a QC from 4 New Square:
The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Michael Alexander Soole Esq QC, to be a Justice of the High Court with effect from 26 November 2015 on the elevation of Lord Justice (David) Richards to the Court of Appeal.
The Lord Chief Justice will assign Mr Soole to the Queen’s Bench Division.
Mr Soole, 61, was called to the Bar (I) in 1977 and took Silk in 2002. He was appointed as an Assistant Recorder in 1999 and as a Recorder in 2000, and is approved to sit as a deputy High Court Judge.  Former TECHBAR Chair, with any luck he'll get to sit in the TCC.

Jan Luba QC goes to the bench.....

This will strike fear into the landlords and local authorities of the bailiwicks of the County Court sitting at Central London and Mayor's and City....although my own experiences of him as a Recorder show him to be remarkably balanced....he was one of the few Recorders who could sit in the EAT because he did not undertake any work before it, although he did add some interesting cases to its repertoire. Perhaps he will sit there again when not busy clearing the housing lists.....

Most recently Chamber UK 2016 said:
"The leading silk for tenant-side work. He has had a long and successful career at the cutting edge of housing law developments.” It is said that he is “At the top of his game – there’s nothing that can be said about him that hasn’t already been said.”

The Queen has appointed Jan Luba QC to be a Circuit Judge on the advice of the Lord Chancellor, the Right Honourable Michael Gove MP, and the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, the Right Honourable The Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd.

The Lord Chief Justice has deployed him to the South Eastern Circuit, based at Central London and Mayor’s & City of London County Courts with effect from 21 December 2015.
Jan Luba, aged 58, will be known as His Honour Judge Luba QC. He was called to Bar (M) in 1980 and took Silk in 2000. He was appointed as a Recorder in 2000.

I wonder if he will stop co-writing "Defending Possession Proceedings" unlike his previous co-author, now HHJ Madge?

Fluctuat nec mergitur

CHANGES AT THE TOP & AND NEW HIGH COURT JUDGE

From January 2016, Mr Justice Cranston will succeed Mr Justice Ouseley as Judge in Charge of the Administrative Court.Cranston was once Solicitor-General under Blair and now he is in charge of holding HMG to account.  He has some big shoes to fill following the awesome Ouseley J.

From January 2016, Mr Justice Coulson will assume responsibility as the Administrative Court Liaison Judge for the Western and Midland Circuits. Slightly suprising as a TCC/construction specliaist....

From January 2016, Mr Justice Lewis will assume responsibility as the Administrative Court Liaison Judge for Wales. Not at all surprising that this former public law specialist and former Standing Counsel to the NAW gets this job....

From November 2015, Mrs Justice Patterson will succeed Lord Justice Lindblom as Planning Liaison Judge.  This is also to be expected given My Lady's experience and previous professional life....

IN OTHER NEWS

Lord Justice Aikens retires as Lord Justice of Appeal with effect from 2 November 2015

Sir Richard John Pearson Aikens (67) was called to the Bar (M) in 1973, took Silk in 1986 and elected a Bencher in 1994. He was Junior Counsel to the Crown, Common Law, from 1981 to 1986, a Member of the Supreme Court Rules Committee from 1984 to 1988, appointed a Recorder in 1993, a deputy Judge of the High Court (Queen’s Bench and Chancery Division) in 1998 and a Judge of the High Court (Queen’s Bench Division) in 1999. He was appointed Presiding Judge for the South East Circuit from 2001 to 2004, Judge in charge of the Commercial Court from 2005 to 2006 and a Lord Justice of Appeal in 2008, when he was sworn as a Privy Councillor.

The Queen has been pleased to approve the appointment of Neil Stephen Garnham Esq QC to be a Justice of the High Court with effect from 3 November 2015 on the elevation of Mr. Justice Lindblom to the Court of Appeal.

This is expected given his track record at public inquiries and high profile inquests.....,

The Lord Chief Justice will assign Mr Garnham to the Queen’s Bench Division

Mr Garnham, 56, was called to the Bar (M) in 1982 and took Silk in 2001. He was appointed an Assistant Recorder in 1999, as a Recorder in 2000 and is approved to sit as a deputy High Court Judge.

Mr Justice Lindblom was called to the Bar (G) in 1980 and took Silk in 1996. He was appointed a Recorder in 2001 and a judge of the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court in 2010.