The role involves working with the President to oversee the judicial work of the court, and acting as an ambassador of the court at home with government and legal officials and overseas.
Lord Sales, who joined the Supreme Court in 2019, said: ‘The Court has a reputation around the world as a source of leading judgments of the highest quality in all areas of law.
‘As Deputy President, I am looking forward to continuing to uphold the Court’s traditions of integrity, impartiality and legal excellence.’
Lord Sales attended the Royal Grammar School in Guildford, before reading law at Churchill College, Cambridge, and Worcester College, Oxford. He was called to the Bar in 1985, practising commercial and Chancery law at 11KBW. In 1997, he was appointed First Treasury Junior Counsel (also known as ‘Treasury Devil’), advising and representing the government at the Bar.
He became a Deputy High Court Judge in 2004. In 2006, he took silk, continuing to act as First Treasury Counsel Common Law until his appointment to the High Court, Chancery Division in 2008. He was appointed to the Court of Appeal in 2014.
He has also been a member of the Competition Appeal Tribunal, Vice-President of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal and Deputy Chair of the Boundary Commission for England.
Lord Reed, President of the Court, said: ‘Lord Sales is recognised around the world as an outstanding judge.’
Lord Sales will be sworn in as Deputy President in January 2026.
