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.