Michael Briggs
| Michael Briggs
| |
|---|---|
| Born | 1954 |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Judge |
| Known for | Justice of the UK Supreme Court, 2017–; President-designate of the Supreme Court from January 2027 |
Michael Briggs (Lord Briggs of Westbourne, born 1954) is a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, and sat on the appeal by Huda Ammori against the proscription of Palestine Action, heard on 4 and 5 November 2026.[1] The King has approved his appointment as President of the Supreme Court, in succession to Lord Reed, from January 2027.[2][3]
Career
The Supreme Court says he grew up following his naval officer father between ships around Portsmouth and Plymouth. He read History at Magdalen College, Oxford, and practised in business and property litigation from the chambers that became Serle Court, taking silk in 1994. He chaired the Bar Council's Law Reform Committee and was Attorney General to the Duchy of Lancaster from 2001 to 2006. He was appointed to the High Court in 2006, ran the Lehman insolvency litigation from 2009 to 2013, and was Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster from 2011 to 2013.[2]
He became a Lord Justice of Appeal in 2013, led the Civil Courts Structure Review in 2015–16, which recommended an online civil court, and was Deputy Head of Civil Justice from 2016. He joined the Supreme Court in 2017, and since 2022 has had delegated responsibility for the practice and procedure of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.[2][4] He is an Honorary Fellow of Goodenough College, Vice Commodore of the British Classic Yacht Club, and a trustee of The Sixteen choir.[2]
Counsel magazine reported in 2025 that his father was a Royal Navy officer and his mother served in the Wrens; that his grandfather commanded the first naval air raid of the First World War and joined the RAF in 1918; and that an uncle was killed flying a Spitfire in the Second World War. Briggs told the magazine he had considered joining the Navy.[5]
Rulings
He sat on AAA [2023] UKSC 42, which ruled unanimously against the government's Rwanda removals policy.[6] No other ruling by him on national security, protest, Israel or the arms trade was found.
Interests
The Supreme Court does not publish a register of the justices' interests.[7] No link to Israel, Jewish communal bodies or arms companies was found in the public record.
See also
Notes
- ↑ UK Supreme Court, R (on the application of Ammori) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, UKSC 2026/0099, case page, accessed 5 November 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 UK Supreme Court, Lord Briggs confirmed as the next President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, news release, 2026.
- ↑ Briggs set to captain the Supreme Court, New Law Journal, 2026.
- ↑ UK Supreme Court, Lord Briggs, biography, accessed 5 November 2026.
- ↑ The cut of his jib: Lord Briggs of Westbourne PC, Counsel, May 2025.
- ↑ UK Supreme Court, R (AAA and others) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, case page.
- ↑ UK Supreme Court, Justices' financial interests, accessed 5 November 2026.