Lady Justice Whipple
Court of Appeal Civil DivisionCourt of Appeal Criminal DivisionBiographies
Lady Justice Philippa Whipple originally qualified as a solicitor in the tax department of a city firm before requalifying as a barrister. As a barrister, she practised from chambers in London as a junior and then a Queen’s Counsel specialising in public law, medical law and tax.
Her judicial career started in 2005 when she was appointed a Recorder on the Western Circuit, sitting in crime and latterly in civil. In 2013, she became a Deputy High Court Judge. In 2015 she was appointed to the High Court bench as a judge of the Queen’s Bench Division.
She was a Judicial Commissioner of the Judicial Appointments Commission (from 2016 to 2019) and a Presiding Judge of the South Eastern Circuit (from 2018 to 2021).
In 2021 she was appointed to the Court of Appeal. Since 2023 she has been the Lead Judge for Diversity and Inclusion, Leadership Development and Wellbeing, and in that capacity she sits on the Judicial Executive Board.
She is a bencher and trustee of Middle Temple where she is a member of the Appointments Committee and the Talent Retention Steering Group. She is an honorary fellow of Merton College, Oxford and a former President of the College’s alumni association.
She is married with three grown up children.