The Technology and Construction Court in Birmingham
Judges
Her Honour Judge Sarah Watson became the Principal Judge of the Technology and Construction Court Judge in Birmingham in 2017.
She is authorised to sit as a Judge of the High Court in the Technology and Construction Court, the Circuit Commercial Court and the Chancery Division.
She qualified as a solicitor in 1987 at Freshfields (now Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer). In 1989 she joined the Birmingham office of Edge Ellison (now Squire Patton Boggs) and became a partner there in 1994. Her practice was in commercial litigation. She acted in disputes involving construction and engineering, commercial contracts, corporate finance, and professional negligence. She was an accredited mediator, specialising in engineering disputes.
She was appointed as a Deputy District Judge in 2001, a District Judge in 2007, and a Specialist Circuit Judge in 2017.
She is a course tutor for the Judicial College Civil training course and has been Course Director of the Judicial College course for Specialist Judges.
His Honour Judge Worster was appointed a senior Circuit Judge in 2017 and he became one of the Judges of the Technology and Construction Court.
He is the designated Circuit Commercial Judge for Birmingham, and is currently the Lead Judge for the Business and Property Courts in Birmingham.
He is authorised to sit as a Judge of the High Court in the Chancery and King’s Bench Divisions, the Circuit Commercial Court, the TCC, the Administrative Court and the Planning Court, and is a Judge of the Upper Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
He was called to the Bar in 1980 and practised in Birmingham from 7 Fountain Court and St Philips Chambers. Much of his work was in the Birmingham Mercantile and Chancery Courts. He was a member of the AG’s Panel from 1995-2007.
He was appointed as a Recorder in 2001, and a Circuit Judge in 2008.
He was a Judicial College Course Director for Civil training from 2016 to 2021 and is the current editor of the Judicial College civil eLetter.
He is a Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn.
His Honour Judge Brian Rawlings became one of the Judges of the Technology and Construction Court in October 2020.
In addition to holding a Section 9 Technology and Construction Court authorisation he also holds Section 9 Authorisations to sit in the Chancery Division, the Commercial Court and the King’s Bench Division.
He qualified as a Solicitor in 1986 and practised in Birmingham in contentious Insolvency and Company and Commercial Law. He was granted Higher Rights of Audience in 2000.
He was appointed a Chancery Recorder in 2008
On appointment as a Circuit Judge, in 2015, he was appointed Designated Civil Judge for Staffordshire and Shropshire, before being appointed a Senior Circuit Specialist Chancery Judge sitting in Birmingham from October 2020.
His Honour Judge Richard Williams qualified as a solicitor in 1992. He worked at Eversheds LLP advising corporate and trustee clients in respect of both contentious and non-contentious pensions and trust law including: (i) High Court pensions litigation involving funding disputes, professional negligence, interpretation and rectification of pension scheme governing documents, estoppel and applications for Part 64 directions/compromises (ii) applications before the Pensions Ombudsman and the Pensions Protection Fund Ombudsman (iii) corporate insolvencies, outsourcings, disposals, re-organisations and capital reductions including seeking Pensions Regulator approval.
He was appointed a District Judge in 2010, a Civil Circuit Judge in 2018 and a Specialist Civil Circuit Judge in 2020. HHJ Williams is authorised to sit as a Judge of the High Court in the Chancery Division, Circuit Commercial Court, TCC and the Administrative Court. He is a Judge of the Upper Tribunal Immigration and Asylum Chamber and is also authorised to sit as a Family Circuit Judge in the Financial Remedies Court.
Birmingham TCC Contact and other details
Address: Birmingham Civil Justice Centre, The Priory Courts, 33 Bull Street, Birmingham B4 6DS
Telephone
Business and Property Courts switchboard: 0121 681 3181
B&PCs Listing Officer: 0121 681 3160
TCC Issue Team: 0121 681 3181
Email BPC: BPC.Birmingham@hmcts.gsi.gov.uk
TCC Clerk: Sue Thomas
Email TCC enquiries and listing: Clerktohhjwatson@justice.gov.uk