The new Chancellor of the High Court, Sir Colin Birss, was sworn in, by the Lady Chief Justice, at a ceremony in the Royal Courts of Justice on Monday 3 November.
During the ceremony speeches were made in recognition of his appointment.
In her speech, the Lady Chief Justice said: “I am – we all are – delighted to welcome Colin as he takes up appointment. The Chancery Division is in extremely safe and able hands. I am in no doubt that he will make a fine Chancellor… With the utmost warmth we wish him well as he takes up his important duties.”
Andrew Waugh KC, representing the Bar of England and Wales. said: “In addition to his judicial role as a Judge of the Court of Appeal, Sir Colin also undertook the role of Deputy Head of Civil Justice and has become widely known for embracing technology in the legal system, particularly artificial intelligence – serving as the Lead Judge for Artificial Intelligence, guiding AI integration within the judiciary but with all the caveats and caution that embracing such technology requires. As Chancellor of the High Court, Sir Colin’s contributions will no doubt continue unabated and, in those endeavours, we wish him every success.”
Lord Justice Birss said: “I am honoured to be sworn in as Chancellor of the High Court and I am excited to bring the experience I have gained as Deputy Head of Civil Justice to this unique role. I look forward to working with all the judges of the Business and Property Courts to provide access to justice and ensure timely and fair resolution of the disputes in these courts, promoting the rule of law. The Business and Property Courts, with their home in the Rolls Building and specialist courts across England and Wales, are key to the UK’s position as a leading centre for international dispute resolution, and I will continue the work of my predecessors to maintain that position.”
The Chancellor of the High Court is head of the Chancery Division and is the judge with day to day responsibility for the Business and Property Courts. Based in the Rolls Building in the City of London, and with seven centres in major cities in England and Wales, the Business and Property Courts, including the Chancery Division, deal with the resolution of business disputes and cases involving property in all its forms. This work includes commercial, competition, financial, insolvency and companies, technology, digital assets, intellectual property, trusts, partnerships, mortgages and land law.
The Rt Hon Lord Justice Colin Birss was called to the Bar in 1990 and took Silk in 2008. He started his judicial career as a Deputy Chairman of the Copyright Tribunal in 2009. He was appointed as a Senior Circuit Judge in 2010, as a High Court Judge assigned to the Chancery Division in 2013 and as a Judge of the Court of Appeal in 2021. He became the Deputy Head of Civil Justice in 2020 and is currently Lead Judge for Artificial Intelligence.
The post New Chancellor of the High Court, Lord Justice Birss, sworn in appeared first on Courts and Tribunals Judiciary.
https://www.judiciary.uk/new-chancellor-of-the-high-court-lord-justice-birss-sworn-in/
seen at 14:43, 4 November in Courts and Tribunals Judiciary.