Stephen Irwin (judge)

The Right Honourable Sir Stephen John Irwin (born 5 February 1953), is a retired British judge and barrister. From September 2016 until October 2020, he was 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]

The Right Honourable

Sir Stephen Irwin
Lord Justice of Appeal
In office
September 2016 – October 2020
MonarchQueen 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
NationalityBritish
Spouse(s)
Deborah Rose Ann Spring
​
​
(m. 1978)​
Children3
EducationMethodist College Belfast
Alma materJesus College, Cambridge

Early life and education

Irwin was born on 5 February 1953 in Helen's Bay, 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; "Mr Irwin received £314,000, most of which is likely to relate to a group action over Gulf war syndrome against the Ministry of Defence which collapsed this year when legal aid was withdrawn because of a lack of scientific evidence.".[9] In 2004, he served as Chairman of the Bar Council.[2]

In 2020, Irwin was elected Master Treasurer of Gray's Inn and is customarily referred to as 'Master Irwin' when acting in his capacity as a bencher.[10]

Judiciary

On 18 May 2006, Irwin was appointed a judge of the High Court of Justice (Queen's Bench Division).[11] 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".[12] 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.[13] He retired from full-time judicial duties on 7 October 2020 but continues to sit part-time as Deputy Lord Justice of Appeal.[14]

In November 2020 Irwin was announced as the Chair the House of Commons independent panel to determine complaints of bullying, harassment or sexual harassment brought by House staff against Members of Parliament. [15]

Personal life

In 1978, Irwin married Deborah Rose Ann Spring. Together they have three children; two daughters and one son.[2] From 2012 to 2015, he served as Chair of the Poetry Society.

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.[16]

References
  1. "Senior judiciary". Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. Retrieved 19 October 2014.
  2. "IRWIN, Hon. Sir Stephen (John)". Who's Who 2016. Oxford University Press. November 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  3. "Mr Justice Irwin". judiciary.gov.uk. Courts and Tribunals Judiciary. 31 July 2015. Archived from the original on 29 October 2016. 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. "No. 54736". The London Gazette. 15 April 1997. pp. 4475–4476.
  7. "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. master (2014-06-19). "Management Committee". ~ Gray's Inn. Retrieved 2020-11-12.
  11. "Crown Office". The London Gazette (57990). 23 May 2006. p. 7095. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  12. "Q&A: Secret court explained". news.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 28 April 2004. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  13. "Crown Office". The London Gazette (61723). 4 October 2016. p. 21100. Retrieved 28 October 2016.
  14. Court of Appeal: Retirement of Lord Justice Irwin
  15. https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/3553/documents/34365/default/
  16. "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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