Emma Arbuthnot

Emma Arbuthnot, Lady Arbuthnot of Edrom is an English judge. She was appointed to the High Court of England and Wales on 1 February 2020.[1]

Emma Arbuthnot is the daughter of wine expert Michael Broadbent. She was born in Macclesfield, England, and grew up in London. She attended a fee-paying French state school. After a period in the workforce, she studied London University, while working as a cleaner, and graduated with a law degree.[2]

On 6 September 1984, she married James Arbuthnot, a barrister and British Conservative Party politician.

Emma Arbuthnot became a barrister in 1986. She was appointed as a Deputy District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts) in 2000, a Recorder in 2001 (crime and then family), a full time District Judge (Magistrates’ Courts) in 2005, the Deputy to the Chief Magistrate in 2012, the Chief Magistrate for England and Wales in 2016, and a judge on the High Court of England and Wales in 2020.[3]

While Chief Magistrate, she made rulings related to the fugitive Indian tycoon Vijay Mallya,[4] and Zamira Hajiyeva, the first person subject to an unexplained wealth order.[5] Towards the end of 2019, Arbuthnot, who had presided at several of Julian Assange's extradition hearings,[6][7] stepped aside because of a "perception of bias", apparently linked to her husband.[8]

Uber

Uber’s application for a five-year licence was rejected by Transport for London in September 2017. In June 2018, Emma Arbuthnot granted Uber a probationary 15 month licence for London. An investigation by The Observer newspaper reported that Arbuthnot’s partner, James Arbuthnot, was a director of SC Strategy Ltd. during Uber’s appeal before Emma Arbuthnot. SC Strategy Ltd is a private intelligence company which has worked for the sovereign wealth fund Qatar Investment Authority (QIA). QIA was one of the main investors in a $1.2bn financing arrangement for Uber. After The Observer's report was published, Arbuthnot withdrew from hearing any further appeals by the company.[9][10]

Family life

James Arbuthnot was created Baron Arbuthnot of Edrom, of Edrom in the County of Berwick, on 1 October 2015.[11]

Emma and James Arbuthnot have one son, Alexander, born 1986, and three daughters,Kate, born 1989, Leaf, born 1992, Alice, born 1998.

References
  1. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/3727789
  2. "High Court Judges 2020". Judicial Appointments Commission.
  3. "High Court Judges 2020". Judicial Appointments Commission.
  4. "UK court rules that Indian tycoon should face extradition".
  5. Ward, Victoria (2019-09-26). "Banker's wife who spent £16m in Harrods escapes extradition to Azerbaijan on embezzlement charges". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2019-09-27.
  6. "Julian Assange too ill to appear in court via video link, lawyers say". the Guardian. 30 May 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  7. "Julian Assange to face US extradition hearing in UK next year". the Guardian. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  8. Curtis, Mark; Kennard, Matt (3 September 2020). "Declassified UK: As British judge made rulings against Julian Assange, her husband was involved with right-wing lobby group briefing against WikiLeaks founder". Daily Maverick. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  9. Doward, Jamie (18 August 2018). "Judge in Uber's London legal battle steps aside over husband's links to firm". the Guardian. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  10. Bowcott, Owen (13 February 2019). "Chief magistrate's alleged bias toward Uber raised in court". the Guardian. Retrieved 19 December 2020.
  11. "notice 2410213". The London Gazette.
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