King Approves Appointment of Lord Justice Snowden to UK Supreme Court.
London:
In a significant development for the UK judiciary, King Charles III has approved the appointment of Lord Justice Richard Snowden as a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. The appointment, confirmed on 30 April 2026, was made following advice from the Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Lord Chancellor, based on the recommendation of an independent selection commission.
Lord Justice Snowden brings with him a distinguished legal and judicial career spanning several decades. Raised and educated at a state school in Redcar in the North-East of England, he went on to study law at Downing College, Cambridge before earning a Master of Laws degree from Harvard Law School.
He was called to the Bar by Lincoln’s Inn in 1986 and built a strong reputation as a barrister at Erskine Chambers. His practice focused on company law, corporate insolvency, financial services, and complex commercial litigation. In recognition of his expertise, he was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2003.
Snowden’s judicial career began in 2006 when he was appointed a Recorder of the Crown Court. He subsequently served as a Deputy High Court Judge in 2008 before being appointed a High Court Judge in the Chancery Division in 2015. His leadership roles included serving as Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster and Supervising Judge of the Business and Property Courts for the Northern and North-Eastern Circuits from 2019.
In October 2021, he was elevated to the Court of Appeal, further cementing his standing within the judiciary. His contributions extended beyond the courtroom; he became a member of the Transparency and Open Justice Board at its inception in 2024 and was appointed Lead Judge for International Relations in March 2025.
Lord Justice Snowden’s appointment to the Supreme Court marks the culmination of a highly respected legal career and is expected to strengthen the court’s expertise in commercial and corporate law.
