NEW RECORDERS 2000/2001

20 Jul 2001 12:00 AM

HM The Queen has signified Her intention of appointing the following Recorders under section 21 of the Courts Act 1971. The Lord Chancellor has assigned them to sit on the circuits listed below.

Date of Warrant of Appointment: 25 January 2001 Professional Base

Midland Circuit Jeremy Hugh Chaloner Lea Nottingham Geoffrey Solomons London

Northern Circuit David Nahum Berkley QC Manchester Patrick John Field QC Manchester

Northern Eastern Circuit Charles Wareing Ekins Leeds District Judge Ian Stuart Fairwood Leeds

Wales and Chester Circuit John Lever Chester

Western Circuit Christopher Mark Frazer London

Date of Warrant of Appointment: 2 February 2001

South Eastern Circuit Commodore Jeffrey Blackett Portsmouth

Wales & Chester David Roderic Owen-Jones London

Western Circuit John Robert Selwyn Williams London

Midland Circuit Paul Anthony Glenn Birmingham Michael Antony Hughes Newport Pagnell Amjad Nawaz Birmingham Adrian Leonard Reynolds Nottingham Nicholas Syfret London Anthony Charles Broughton Warner Birmingham David James Stewart Worster Birmingham

Western Circuit Peter Clifford Henry Winchester Richard Lloyd Smith Bristol Alastair John Trevaskis Helston

Date of Warrant of Appointment: 28 March 2001 Professional Base

Midland Circuit Miss Geraldine Andrews London Peter Carr Birmingham Mrs Catherine Jane Gargan London Paul Anthony Lopez Birmingham Julian David Matthews London Mark Nicholas Rogers Nottingham Miss Nirmal Kanta Shant Nottingham Martin Benedict Spencer London Miss Hilary Jane Watson Nottingham

Western Circuit Timothy James Grice Bristol Paul Harry Julian Grumbar Bristol Michael James Longman Bristol Simon Piers Nicholas Rainey QC London

Northern Circuit Nicholas Justin Braslavsky QC Manchester Miss Angela Mary Nield Manchester

North Eastern Circuit Jeremy Victor Barnett Leeds Miss Susan Maureen Crosbie Sheffield David Tremberg Hull

Wales and Chester Circuit Christopher Grenville Perry Warrington Rhys Price Rowlands Chester

Date of Warrant of Appointment: 8 May 2001

Midland Circuit John Annear Denniss London Andrew Hugh Tidbury London

Northern Circuit Nigel Lawrence John Grundy Manchester Anthony Paul Hayden Manchester Simon John Killeen Liverpool

District Judge Jeremy John Bruce Rawkins Manchester Martin Fraser Walsh Manchester Peter Duncan Wright Manchester

Northern Eastern Circuit Andrew Kershaw Leeds Andrew James Lees Leeds David Michael Waksman London

Wales and Chester Circuit Andrew John Harding Cardiff Niclas Iorwerth Parry Mold Geraint Wyn Walters Swansea

Western Circuit Keith John Lindblom QC London Malcolm Thomas Patrick Gibney Southampton

Date of Warrant of Appointment: 11 July 2001

Midland Circuit District Judge Abbas Mithani Birmingham

Western Circuit Nigel Douglas Jones QC London

Notes for Editors

1. These appointments are made up of successful applicants of the annual Recorder 2000/2001 Competition who have fully completed their training programmes.

2. Of the 59 Recorders, 8 are solicitors: Andrew John Harding, Michael Anthony Hughes, District Judge Mithani, Angela Mary Nield, Niclas Iorwerth Parry, Christopher Grenville Perry, District Judge Jeremy John Bruce Rawkins, and Alastair John Trevaskis.

3. David Nahum Berkley QC, Patrick John Field QC and District Judge Ian Stuart Fairwood are civil only appointments.

4. Recorders are appointed by The Queen on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor. The Lord Chancellor has the power under the Courts Act 1971 to extend and re-extend an initial appointment. The statutory qualification for appointment to Recorder is a ten-year Crown Court or a 10-year County Court qualification as a Barrister or Solicitor.

5. Recorders may sit in both the Crown Court and the County Courts. Some Recorders may be authorised by the Lord Chancellor to sit in County Courts only. A Recorder''s jurisdiction is broadly similar to that of a Circuit Judge, but they will generally handle the less complex or serious matters coming before the court. A small number of specialist practitioners are authorised as Recorders to hear particular types of case, for example, in the Technology and Construction Court or patents cases.

6. The Lord Chancellor normally expects Recorders to be in active practice or to hold a judicial office. Recordership can be a step on the ladder to appointment to the Circuit Bench and the Lord Chancellor seeks to appoint individuals who possess similar qualities to those required of full-time judges and who have the potential to develop those qualities to the level required for full-time appointment.

7. Initial appointments are made for a period of 5 years.