Sir Martin Chamberlain (1991, Law, PPE) and Sir Richard Meade (1985, Law) have been appointed Lord Justices of Appeal, with approval from His Majesty the King.

The appointments, which were announced in June 2026, fill vacancies in the Court of Appeal. The appointment of Lord or Lady Justices of the Court of Appeal are made by His Majesty The King, on the advice of the Lord Chancellor, following the recommendation of an independent selection panel.

Sir Martin Chamberlain

Sir Martin Chamberlain (also known as Mr Justice Martin Chamberlain) was called to the Bar (Middle Temple) in 1997 and became a Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) in 2013. He was appointed as a s9(4) Deputy High Court Judge (King’s Bench Division) in 2016 and was appointed as a High Court Judge to the King’s Bench Division in 2019. Sir Martin was appointed as a Judicial Member of the Special Immigration Appeals Commission in 2020, as a Judicial Member of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal in 2022 and as Judge in Charge of the Administrative Court in 2024.

Sir Martin said: “The Court of Appeal hears cases raising important questions of law across the full range of legal subject matters. I am looking forward to the additional challenge and variety they will bring.”

Sir Richard Meade

Sir Richard Meade (also known as Mr Justice Richard Meade) went to William Ellis School, a comprehensive school in North London, and then studied law at Univ. While at the College, he was taught by Professor John Finnis CBE, AC, KC, FBA, Martin Matthews and The Honourable David Unterhalter, who was a Junior Research Fellow at the time and is now a Judge of the Supreme Court of South Africa.

After graduating in 1988, Sir Richard worked in the IT industry and was called to the Bar (Lincoln’s Inn) in 1991, joining 8 New Square in 1992 after pupillage there, which included working with Lord David Kitchin. Sir Richard specialised in intellectual property and became a Queen’s Counsel (now King’s Counsel) in 2008. He became a Recorder in 2009 and a Deputy High Court Judge in 2010. In 2020, he was appointed as a High Court Judge of the Chancery Division and was judge in charge of the Patents Court and of Intellectual property from March 2021 until 2026 and a Chair of the Competition Appeal Tribunal. As well as the Chancery Division he sat as chair in cases in the Competition Appeal Tribunal.

Published: 3 September 2026

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