Born in London and brought up in Lancaster and Kirkby Lonsdale in Cumbria, Tom went to the local state grammar school before studying Classics and then Law at Oxford University.

Tom trained as a barrister and practised at the Bar as a self-employed barrister for more than 20 years before joining a major City law firm as a partner. He took Silk in 2010, was appointed a s9(4) Deputy High Court Judge in the Chancery Division in 2019 and appointed a High Court Judge of the Chancery Division in 2021. He was an elected member of the Bar Council and is a bencher of Lincoln’s Inn.

At the Bar, Tom had a broad property and company law practice and appeared in a number of offshore jurisdictions (including Bermuda where he spent three years) before going in-house where he developed a wider commercial practice including energy, insurance and international arbitration.

Tom has a particular interest in professional indemnity work and co-writes a leading textbook on solicitors’ liabilities.

In July 2025, he was appointed as the Supervising Judge of the Business and Property Courts for the Northern & North Eastern Circuit, with effect from 1 October 2025 for a period of three years.

He has also been appointed the Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster for three years, starting in the role from 1 October 2025.

Since 1971, Chancery work in Manchester, Liverpool and Lancashire (the three areas of the County Palatine of Lancaster) has been incorporated within the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice, but the office of Vice-Chancellor was retained as the lead Chancery Judge in the area.

His Honour Judge David Hodge KC is a Specialist Chancery Circuit Judge sitting principally in Manchester and Liverpool. He read law at University College, Oxford, graduating with a first-class BA degree in Jurisprudence in 1977 and the degree of BCL in 1978. He was called to the Bar in 1979, took silk in 1997 and was elected a Bencher of Lincoln’s Inn in 2000. He is the Deputy Chancellor of the Diocese of Blackburn.

David practised at the commercial Chancery Bar in Lincoln’s Inn between 1980 and 2005, first at 9 Old Square and, following its merger, at Maitland Chambers. He specialised in property litigation and related professional indemnity work.

His judicial career began sitting in crime, first as an assistant recorder (from 1998-2000) and then as a recorder (from 2000-2005). He was appointed to sit as a deputy High Court Judge of the Chancery Division in 2004, and then as one of the two Specialist Chancery (Senior) Circuit Judges on the Northern Circuit in November 2005. He sits principally hearing High Court Chancery cases in Manchester and in Liverpool, although he is also authorised to sit in the Queen’s Bench Division, the Circuit Commercial Court, the Technology and Construction Court and the Court of Protection. He has been appointed to sit in the Tax and Chancery Chamber and the Lands Chamber of the Upper Tribunal.

David has contributed the chapter on Chancery Matters to the last five editions of Foskett on Compromise (1996-2015) (Sweet & Maxwell). He is also the author of Rectification: The Modern Law and Practice Governing Claims for Rectification for Mistake (Sweet & Maxwell). He has also written articles for the Conveyancer & Property Lawyer (Sweet & Maxwell).

His Honour Judge Stephen Davies was called to the Bar in 1985 and practised in business and property litigation from chambers in Manchester from 1986 until 2007. He became a part-time Crown Court Recorder in 2002.

He was appointed a Deputy Judge of the Technology and Construction Court in 2006.

In January 2007, he was appointed a full time Circuit Judge, sitting initially in the Birmingham Civil Justice Centre and then transferring to Manchester as a Specialist Circuit Judge in October 2007 when the Manchester Civil Justice Centre opened.

Since 2007 he has sat in Manchester as one of the two permanent Technology and Construction judges as well as sitting in the Circuit Commercial Court and in the Chancery Division.

He also sits in the Queen’s Bench Division and in the Administrative Court (including the Planning Court) as well as in the County Court and the Upper Tribunal (Immigration and Asylum Tribunal). He will sit in Business and Property Courts in Liverpool when required.

His Honour Judge Halliwell was called to the Bar in 1985. Until June 2018, he practised from chambers in Manchester specialising in the law of property, trusts and probate. His professional practice also encompassed insolvency, professional negligence and commercial law.

He is the author of “Distribution on Intestacy” (FT Law and Tax). In 2002, he was appointed to sit as a Recorder and, in June 2018, he was appointed to sit as a Specialist Civil Circuit Judge in the Business and Property Courts in Manchester.

His Honour Judge Pearce was called to the Bar in 1985. He practised in the sphere of common law, latterly specialising in clinical negligence and personal injury work, as well as medial regulation and professional negligence.

He was appointed a Recorder in 2005 and a full-time civil Circuit Judge in 2015, sitting initially in Chester and Liverpool and more recently in Manchester. He sits in the Queen’s Bench Division and Administrative Court, as well as the Circuit Commercial Court, the Technology and Construction Court and the Chancery Division. He has been involved in the Court Reform programme, including work on the online court.

His Honour Judge (Adrian) Bever was admitted as a solicitor in 1993.

He was appointed as a Deputy District Judge in 2005, and then as a District Judge in 2011.

Initially, he was based at Liverpool Civil and Family Court, before he was transferred to Manchester Civil Justice Centre in 2015, where he sat in the Business and Property Courts, the Financial Remedies Court and as a specialist Serious Personal Injury and Clinical Negligence District Judge.

In August 2022, Adrian was appointed as a Specialist Civil Circuit Judge in the Business and Property Courts in Manchester. He is authorised to sit in the High Court in all jurisdictions of the Business and Property Courts, and also in the King’s Bench Division.

Adrian is also authorised to sit in the Financial Remedies Court, a specialist division of the Family Court.

District Judge Matharu was admitted as a solicitor in November 1991. She was a commercial litigation partner in practices in Newcastle upon Tyne. She acquired Higher Rights of Audience at that time.

She was appointed as a Deputy District Judge in 2004 and a District Judge in 2009, when she re-located to the North West. She has been a BPC judge since 2010. She is also a specialist Court of Protection Judge.

She has been a Judicial College tutor since 2010 and was Course Director for Civil Continuation, DDJ Induction and Recorder Induction until 2019. She is now a Course Director for Court of Protection and a cross jurisdiction tutor.

District Judge Obodai was admitted as a Solicitor in 1988. She spent her legal career in practices in and around Manchester and, before being appointed as a full time District Judge, she was a commercial litigation partner at Wacks Caller specialising in Business and Property work.

In 2000 she was appointed as the first black and only the third female President of Manchester Law Society. She was appointed as a Deputy District Judge in 2001 and a District Judge in 2005. She is the lead BPC District Judge in Manchester and one of two nominated BPC Intellectual Property and Enterprise Court (IPEC) Judges.

She is a Judicial College Civil Course Director for Civil Continuation and DDJ Inductions and a Tutor on the Specialist Course. She is also the Supervising Training Judge for the in-court training of newly appointed Deputy District Judges on the Northern Circuit in Manchester and an Appraising and Mentor Judge.

Judge Richmond was appointed to the District Bench after over 20 years as a solicitor and partner with major commercial practices in Manchester and West Yorkshire and 7 years as a Deputy District Judge on the North East Circuit. He holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Commercial Litigation from Manchester Metropolitan University. 

Judge Richmond was appointed first to Birmingham Civil Justice Centre in 2003 and then moved to Manchester Civil Justice Centre in 2005. Judge Richmond is the Senior District Judge in Manchester and this role includes representing his colleagues in dealings with the senior judiciary and HMCTS.

Judge Richmond has been a nominated Business & Property Court Judge throughout his time on the bench in addition to his civil and specialist family jurisdictions.

District Judge Banks was called to the Bar in 2003. He was in practice as a barrister in Manchester until his appointment to the District Bench in 2023, specialising in chancery and commercial litigation. He was appointed as a fee-paid Deputy District Judge sitting on the Northern Circuit in 2019 and is currently based at the Manchester Civil Justice Centre, sitting in civil and BPC jurisdictions.