Appointment of new Deputy Head of Civil Justice
Sir Colin Birss will be appointed as Deputy Head of Civil Justice upon his elevation to the Court of Appeal in early 2021, in succession to Sir Peter Coulson. He will act as Deputy Head of Civil Justice designate from 11 January 2021.
His appointment as Deputy Head of Civil Justice was made by the Lord Chief Justice after consultation with the Lord Chancellor under Section 62 of the Courts Act 2003. His appointment is for a three-year term.
The Deputy Head of Civil Justice plays an integral role in the leadership of the Civil Justice System. Supporting the Master of the Rolls, who is Head of Civil Justice, in providing leadership for the civil judiciary of the county court. They are also ex-officio a member of the Civil Justice Council and the Civil Procedure Rule Committee.
Biography
Sir Colin Birss was called to the Bar (Middle Temple) in 1990 and took Silk in 2008. He was appointed a Specialist Circuit Judge of the Patents County Court in 2010 and a High Court Judge in the Chancery Division in 2013.
He has been a Member of the Civil Procedure Rule Committee since 2014.
From 2017 to 2019 he was the Supervising Judge for Business and Property Courts of the Midlands, Wales and Western Circuits.
In 2019 he was appointed as the Judge in charge of the Patents Court.
His appointment to the Court of Appeal was announced in July 2020, He will take up that appointment in early 2021.