Sir Ian Burnett selected to be next Lord Chief Justice

Sir Ian Burnett has been appointed the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales from 2 October 2017, taking over the role on the retirement of Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd.

His appointment was made by the Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor, who had received a recommendation from an independent selection panel chaired by Lord Kakkar, Chairman of the Judicial Appointments Commission

Sir Ian, 59, was called to the Bar (Middle Temple) in 1980, becoming a Bencher in 2001. He was in practice as a barrister, Temple Garden Chambers, from 1982-2008 (Head of Chambers from 2003-2008), and took silk in 1998.

He has held a number of judicial positions. He was appointed Judge of the High Court, Queen’s Bench Division, in 2008 and was Presiding Judge on the Western Circuit from 2011-2014. He was appointed to the Court of Appeal on 6 October 2014.

Candidates for the role were expected to be able to serve for at least four years, “given the need to deliver significant Court reforms and to steer the judiciary through our exit from the EU”, Number 10 said.