First President of British Supreme Court hosted

Media release
The University of Auckland

25 March 2013

First President of British Supreme Court hosted by Auckland Law School

The first president of the British Supreme Court, Lord Phillips of Worth Matravers, is being hosted by The University of Auckland’s Law School where he will deliver a public lecture exploring the origin and development of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.

“Lord Phillips is one of the most important Judges of his generation and we are pleased to host him on his visit to New Zealand. His involvement in the establishment of the British Supreme Court means he can offer a unique perspective,” says Dr Andrew Stockley, Dean of The Auckland Law School.

In his lecture Lord Phillips will examine the establishment of the British Supreme Court in 2009. This represented a milestone in the constitutional history of the United Kingdom, replacing the House of Lords as the highest appellate court in the United Kingdom (other than for Scottish Criminal cases).

As the first President of the Supreme Court when it was established in 2009, until his recent retirement in October last year, Lord Phillips will explain the history behind the development of the court. He will touch on foundational concepts such as the separation of powers, and provide insight on the organisation and structure of the court as it exists today. He will also consider some of the key cases that have come before the court, and the dialogue between the Supreme Court and the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.

Lord Phillips has held the most senior judicial positions in Britain. He was appointed Master of the Rolls in 2000, and Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales in 2005. He was made a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter, Britain’s highest order of chivalry in 2011.

As well as giving a public lecture at the Law School, Lord Phillips will give a student lecture titled ‘Judge and Jury’ which critically considers the origin and development of trial by jury in the United Kingdom, and a staff seminar exploring the use of closed material evidence by courts in the United Kingdom.

Lord Phillips is visiting New Zealand as the New Zealand Law Foundation’s 2013 Distinguished Visiting Fellow. His visit is being hosted by the Faculty of Law at The University of Auckland. During his stay he has delivered public lectures at all six New Zealand law schools, also spending time with faculty members and students.

Public lecture details - Tuesday 26 March 2013, 6pm
Venue: Old Government House Lecture Theatre, The University of Auckland, Corner of Princes Street and Waterloo Quadrant, Auckland

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