Stephen Irwin (judge)

The Right Honourable
Lord Justice Irwin

Lord Justice of Appeal
Assumed office
September 2016
Monarch Queen Elizabeth II
High Court Judge
In office
May 2006 – September 2016
Personal details
Born Stephen John Irwin
(1953-02-05) 5 February 1953
Northern Ireland
Nationality British
Spouse(s) Deborah Rose Ann Spring (m. 2016)
Children Two
Education Methodist College Belfast
Alma mater Jesus College, Cambridge

Sir Stephen John Irwin (born 5 February 1953), styled The Rt Hon Lord Justice Irwin, is a British judge and former barrister. Since September 2016, he has been a Lord Justice of Appeal (an ordinary judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales). From May 2006 to 2016, he served as a judge of the High Court of England and Wales.[1]

Early life and education

Irwin was born on 5 February 1953 in Northern Ireland.[2][3] He was educated at Methodist College Belfast, a grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland.[4] Having gained an open scholarship, he studied law and English at Jesus College, Cambridge.[5] He graduated from the University of Cambridge with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1975.[2] He then undertook a year of training in order to qualify as a barrister.

In 1976, Irwin was called to the bar by Gray's Inn.[2][3] He then practised as a barrister, and specialised in "clinical negligence, enquiries and scientific tort cases".[3] On 8 April 1997, he was appointed a Queen's Counsel (QC).[6] In 1999, he was appointed an Assistant Recorder; as such, he served as a part-time judge in addition to practising a barrister.[3][7] On 18 July 2000, he was appointed a Recorder of the South Eastern Circuit.[8] During the 2002/2003 tax year, he received £314,000 in legal aid fees; "most of which is likely to relate to a group action over Gulf War syndrome against the Ministry of Defence".[9] In 2004, he served as Chairman of the Bar Council.[2]

Judiciary

On 18 May 2006, Irwin was appointed a judge of the High Court of Justice (Queen's Bench Division).[10] From 2008 to 2012, he was a Presiding Judge on the Northern Circuit.[3][7] In 2012, he was appointed a Member of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission (SIAC).[2] The SIAC has been described as the "most controversial" and "most secret court within English law".[11] From January 2013 to December 2015, he served as Chairman of the SIAC.[7] On 1 October 2016, he was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal.[12]

Personal life

In 1978, Irwin married Deborah Rose Ann Spring. Together they have two children; one son and one daughter.[2]

Honours

In 2006, as is customary for newly appointed High Court Judges, Irwin was made a Knight Bachelor and therefore granted the title Sir.[2] On 24 October 2016, he was appointed a Member of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom, and therefore granted the style of The Right Honourable.[13]

References

  1. ↑ "Senior judiciary". Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "IRWIN, Hon. Sir Stephen (John)". Who's Who 2016. Oxford University Press. November 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Mr Justice Irwin". judiciary.gov.uk. Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  4. ↑ ‘IRWIN, Hon. Sir Stephen (John)’, Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing plc, 2014
  5. ↑ "Keynote Speaker: Sir Stephen Irwin QC". limun.org.uk. LIMUN Foundation. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  6. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 54736. pp. 4475–4476. 15 April 1997. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  7. 1 2 3 "Appointment of Lord and Lady Justices of Appeal: September 2016". Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 13 September 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  8. ↑ "Crown Office". The London Gazette (55921). 24 July 2000. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  9. ↑ Dyer, Clare (19 November 2004). "QC gets £606,000 in legal aid fees". The Guardian. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  10. ↑ "Crown Office". The London Gazette (57990). 23 May 2006. p. 7095. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "Q&A: Secret court explained". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 28 April 2004. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  12. ↑ "Crown Office". The London Gazette (61723). 4 October 2016. p. 21100. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  13. ↑ "Privy Council appointment: Sir Stephen Irwin". gov.uk. Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street. 24 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
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