PROFESSOR DAVID ORMEROD QC (Hon) APPOINTED AS DEPUTY HIGH COURT JUDGE

September 5, 2018

Red Lion Chambers are delighted to congratulate our Door Tenant and Law Commissioner Professor David Ormerod QC (Hon), who has been appointed as a Deputy High Court Judge for England and Wales.

After teaching law at various UK universities, David was called to the Bar in 2002 and continued his work as a university professor part-time.
David specialises in fraud and has acted for the Serious Fraud Office and the HMRC Prosecution Office in serious fraud cases. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel (honoris causa) in 2013 and has been a Master of the Bench at Middle Temple since 2009.

For the last 15 years David has been involved in Judicial College criminal law training and is a co-author of the Crown Court Compendium used by judges every day in the criminal courts.

He has also written or co-authored numerous distinguished journal articles and is the co-author of the leading criminal law textbooks, including notably Blackstone’s Criminal Practice and Smith and Hogan’s Criminal Law. Blackstone’s is now the standard text used in criminal courts following a decision by the judiciary.

Since 2010 David has been Law Commissioner for Criminal Law and Evidence in England and Wales, having been reappointed for a second 5 year term in 2015.

David is one of 32 Deputy High Court Judges appointed in September 2018.

The announcement follows a competition run by the Judicial Appointments Commission. The competition was open to practitioners with or without previous judicial experience to apply to become a Deputy High Court Judge for England and Wales.

The role of the Deputy High Court judge is to undertake work which would otherwise be undertaken by salaried High Court Judges. The prestigious role involves dealing with complex cases ranging from property law disputes; child abduction and international family law; and financial disputes including substantial asset divorce cases.

David commented:
“My academic work has always been focused on the practical application of the law. I am delighted by this appointment which will, I am sure, enhance my academic work further by providing me with direct experience of the judicial role.”