Judges of the Chancery Division
The Judges of the Chancery Division are highly specialised in the broad range of work carried out by the Division:
- High Court Judges: There are currently 17 High Court Judges (including the Chancellor, Sir Julian Flaux) attached to the division. The Chancery High Court Judges also sit as judges of the Upper Tribunal (particularly the Tax Chamber) and in the Competition Appeal Tribunal. High Court Judges deal with the majority of trials, applications for interim and other relief listed in the Applications Court, and certain categories of business such as committals and the work of the Patents Court. The Chancellor supervises the Chancery lists in the B&PCs in London and on the South Eastern Circuit. A Chancery Division High Court Judge supervises the Chancery work including the Business and Property lists outside the South-East.
- Chancery Masters: There are normally 6 judges who are referred to as Masters (one of whom is the Chief Master). General applications are usually listed before Masters. Masters may grant all types of interim injunctions including interim injunctions which are secondary to the main relief sought. Directions and other case management hearings are typically listed before Masters, save where this is reserved to High Court Judges. There is now a significant overlap with the work of High Court Judges, and there are relatively few matters which may not be dealt with by a Master. For further information on the division of Chancery work between Judges and Masters, see the Chancery Guide (external link) at Chapter 14.
- ICC Judges: There are 6 Insolvency and Companies Court Judges (“ICC Judges”) (one of whom is the Chief ICC Judge). They deal with the two sub-lists (Insolvency and the Companies Court) comprising the Insolvency and Companies List of the Chancery Division, where the work is not reserved exclusively to a High Court Judge.
- Regional Centres: Outside London in the B&PC District Registries, work is undertaken by specialist B&PC Circuit Judges who sit as Judges of the High Court and specialist B&PC District Judges. For details of the Judges carrying out Chancery Business outside the Rolls Building, see Appendix C of the Chancery Guide (external link).
- Deputies: The work of these judges is supplemented by fee-paid deputy High Court Judges, deputy ICC Judges, deputy Masters and, in the B&PC District Registries, by Recorders and deputy District Judges. All such deputies are approved specialist judges.
Meet the different types of judges
Click on the titles below to read more about each of the Chancery judges: