NI: Lord Justice Stephens appointed to UK Supreme Court
Lord Justice Stephens has been appointed to the UK Supreme Court.
Her Majesty The Queen made the appointment on the advice of the Prime Minister and Lord Chancellor, following the recommendations of an independent selection commission.
Lord Justice Stephens will start at the Court on 1 October 2020, following the retirement of Lord Kerr on 30 September 2020.
Welcoming the appointment, Lord Reed, president of the Supreme Court, said: “It gives me great pleasure to welcome the announcement of Lord Justice Stephens’s appointment as a justice of the UK Supreme Court.
“We look forward to his making a significant contribution to the work of the Court and the development of the law, drawing on the extensive experience which he has gained from a distinguished judicial career.”
Lord Justice Stephens has held a number of positions at the bar over his long legal career. Since July 2013 he has been a commissioner in the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission first as a High Court judge and then as a Lord Justice of Appeal. He was appointed Senior Lord Justice of Appeal in September 2017.