Public, administrative and children law specialists among 24 new Deputy High Court Judges

Those appointed were:

• Judge Nicholas Briggs: the Chief Insolvency and Companies Court Judge since 2017.
• Michael Ford QC: a barrister at Old Square Chambers specialising in labour law.
• Caspar Glyn QC: an employment and sports law specialist at Cloisters.
• Katie Gollop QC: a specialist in healthcare law at Serjeants’ Inn.
• Kate Grange QC: a 39 Essex Chambers barrister whose practice combines both public and commercial law.
• Ashley Greenbank: a tax partner at City law firm Macfarlanes.
• Richard Harrison QC: a family specialist at 1KBW.
• Richard Hermer QC: a Doughty Street Chambers barrister whose practice spans public and private law.
• Stephen Houseman QC: an international commercial disputes specialist at Essex Court Chambers.
• Tom Leech QC: head of City law firm Herbert Smith Freehills' advocacy group.
• Andrew Lenon QC: a barrister at One Essex Court whose practice covers company and commercial litigation, arbitration and advisory work.
• David Lock QC: a Landmark Chambers barrister who specialises in public law and health.
• Sarah Morgan QC: a children law specialist at 1GC.
• Charles Morrison: an energy and instrastructure finance partner at DLA Piper.
• Simon Salzedo QC: a barrister at Brick Court Chambers whose practice is in commercial law.
• Hugh Sims QC: a commercial, professional negligence and insolvency specialist at Guildhall Chambers.
• Richard Smith: a commercial arbitration and litigation partner at Allen & Overy.
• Tim Smith: a planning and environmental partner at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner.
• Hugh Southey QC: a public law specialist at Matrix Chambers.
• Nicholas Thompsell: a financial services and corporate partner at FieldFisher.
• Adam Vaitilingam QC: a criminal, environmental, health and safety and family law barrister at Albion Chambers.
• Robin Vos: A Macfarlanes partner whose practice covers wills, trusts and estate planning for families.
• Geraint Webb QC: a commercial law barrister at Henderson Chambers.
• Joanne Wicks QC: a Chancery law specialist at Wilbeforce Chambers.

The appointments followed an open competition run by the Judicial Appointments Commission.

Earlier this month Lord Burnett said in his annual report that he was optimistic that a shortage of High Court judges was “on the mend”.

The LCJ noted that the number of High Court judges recently recruited was greater than last year, although he also cautioned that “we are not yet back to full strength”.

He did also warn of “a very worrying shortfall” in the recruitment of salaried members to the District Bench this year, saying that it would have adverse consequences for the family and civil jurisdictions.