Lady Justice Arden, Lord Justice Kitchin and Lord Justice Sales, appointed to UK’s top bench
The new judicial stars of the Supreme Court have been unveiled. In a statement today, the UK’s highest court confirmed Lady Justice Arden and Lord Justice Kitchin will take up their new judicial roles on 1 October, followed by Lord Justice Sales on 11 January 2019.
So what do we know about our soon-to-be Supreme Court justices?
Arden grew up in Liverpool and studied law at Cambridge’s Girton College, before going on to complete an LLM at Harvard Law School. Called to the bar in 1971, Arden practised commercial law at London’s Erskine Chambers. She became a QC in 1986 and served as Attorney General of the Duchy of Lancaster between 1991 and 1993. Arden served on the Court of Appeal from 2000 to 2018, and happens to be married to Lord Mance, deputy president of the Supreme Court.
Next up, Kitchin. He studied natural sciences and law at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, and was called to the bar in 1977. Taking silk in 1994, he was appointed a judge of the High Court’s Chancery Division in 2005 and senior judge of the Patents Court two years later. Kitchin was elevated to the role of Lord Justice of Appeal in 2011 and was responsible for overseeing intellectual property appeals.
Lady Justice Arden DBE, Lord Justice Kitchin and Lord Justice Sales have been appointed as Justices of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom: https://t.co/JJS1x1HDWg pic.twitter.com/2OfNNKsYbm
— UK Supreme Court (@UKSupremeCourt) June 27, 2018
Last, but by no means least, Sales. He studied law at Churchill College, Cambridge, and Worcester College, Oxford, and was called to the bar in 1985. Working his way up the ranks, he was made an assistant recorder in 1999, recorder in 2001, and a deputy High Court judge in 2004. Sales — who was a tenant at London’s 11KBW — became a QC in 2006 and was bumped up to the High Court’s Chancery Division in 2008. He was appointed as a Lord Justice of Appeal in 2014.
Commenting on the three new faces, president of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale, said:
“I am delighted that the Supreme Court will be joined by three new Justices in the coming months, each of whom has led a distinguished judicial career. I congratulate Lady Justice Arden DBE, Lord Justice Kitchin and Lord Justice Sales on their appointments and am confident that they will each make a significant contribution to the work of the court and the development of the law.”
The appointments follow the retirement of Lord Mance later this month, and Lord Hughes and Lord Sumption in August and December respectively.