Masters of the Bench

Norwich School. Read History and law at St John’s College Cambridge.  McMahon Law Studentship. Called to the Bar by Middle Temple 1973.  Harmsworth Scholarship 1974. In practice at Brick Court Chambers 1974-1999. Appointed QC 1986. Recorder of the Crown Court 1993-1999. Judge of the High Court Queen’s Bench Division 1999-2008.   (Presiding Judge of the South Eastern Circuit 2001-2004;  Judge in Charge of the Commercial Cour 2005-6). Appointed to the Court of Appeal and made Privy Councillor 2008. Nominated as one of the UK ad hoc  judges to the ECtHR 2011.

Publications:  Contributing editor to Bullen & Leake & Jacobs “Predecents of Pleading” (13th Ed 1990).  Joint author with Richard Lord QC and Mike Bools QC of “Bills of Lading” (1st Ed 2006, second Ed in preparation).  Contributor to “Tom Bingham and the Transformation of the Law:  a liber amicorum” (Ed. Duncan Fairgrieve and Mads Andenas 2009);   and “Reforming Marine and Commercial Insurance Law (Ed Boris Soyer 2008);  joint editor with Kenneth Richardson of “Law and Society:  which is to be Master” (2011).  Various articles in legal journals.

 Personal:   Married, 2 sons and 2 step daughters who between them have seven children.  Lives in London and Pays Basque,  France. 

Interests etc:  music,  history,  cycling and France. Was a Governor of Sedbergh School 1988-1997;  a director of English National Opera 1995-2004.  Currently chairman of the Temple Music Foundation (since 2002),  which promotes music in the Temple.   President of the British Insurance Law Association 2012-14.