The Lord Chief Justice, with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor, has appointed Mr Justice Leveson to act as Senior Presiding Judge for England and Wales, with effect from 1 January 2007.
Mr Justice Leveson is currently Deputy Senior Presiding Judge, and he will succeed Lord Justice Thomas who has held the office since 2003. The Prime Minister’s press office announced today that The Queen has approved Mr Justice Leveson’s appointment as a Lord Justice of Appeal with effect from 2 October 2006.
The Lord Chief Justice also made the following Presiding Judge appointments with the agreement of the Lord Chancellor:
Mr Justice Wilkie will become presiding Judge for the North Eastern Circuit from 1 January 2007, in succession to Mr Justice Andrew Smith.
Mr Justice Bean and Mr Justice Cooke will become Presiding Judges for the South Eastern Circuit with effect from 1 January 2007. The two appointments are to provide a successor to Mrs Justice Rafferty and an additional appointment for a trial period to reflect the workload on this particular Circuit.
Notes for Editors
Mr Justice (Sir Brian) Leveson was called to the Bar (Middle Temple) in 1970. He took Silk in 1986, and has been a Bencher since 1995. He acted as a Recorder between 1988 and 2000 and as a Deputy High Court Judge between 1998 and 2000. He was appointed a Judge of the High Court, Queen’s Bench Division, in 2000, and served as a Presiding Judge of the Northern Circuit between 2002-2005. In 2005 he was appointed to the new position of Deputy Senior Presiding Judge. His appointment as Lord Justice of Appeal takes effect from October 2006.
Mr Justice (Sir Alan) Wilkie was called to the Bar (Inner Temple) in 1974. He took Silk in 1992 and was made a Bencher in 2001. He acted as an Assistant Recorder between 1992-95 and as a Recorder between 1995-97. He was appointed as a Circuit Judge in 1997, and then in 2004 he was appointed as a High Court Judge (Queen’s Bench Division). He was a Law Commissioner between 2000-04.
Mr Justice (Sir David) Bean was called to the Bar (Middle Temple) in 1976. He took Silk in 1997 and was made a Bencher in 2001. He acted as a Recorder between 1996-2004 and a Chairman of the Immigration Services Tribunal 2001-04. He was Chairman of the Bar Council in 2002 and of the Employment Law Bar Association 1999 to 2001. He was appointed as a High Court Judge (Queen’s Bench Division) in 2004. He was a member of the Civil Justice Council from 2003 to 2005.
Mr Justice (Sir Jeremy) Cooke was admitted as a solicitor in 1973 and later called to the Bar (Lincoln’s Inn) in 1976. He took Silk in 1990 and was made a Bencher in 2001. He acted as an Assistant Recorder between 1994-98 and as a Recorder between 1998-2001. He was appointed as a High Court Judge (Queen’s Bench Division) in 2001. He has been Vice-President of the Lawyers’ Christian Fellowship since 2003.
Ends
