A selection commission has been launched to choose the next president of the Supreme Court.

Earlier this year, Lord Reed announced he would be retiring in January 2027. Reed, who took on the role six years ago, is the Supreme Court’s longest-serving president.

The selection commission is looking for candidates ‘who can demonstrate outstanding intellectual and legal ability sufficient to preside over the Supreme Court and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council’.

Candidates must also have ‘the ability and experience to engage with members of the executive, parliament, and the devolved governments on the basis of mutual respect and comity between branches of the state, and with the media and professional and other bodies, representing the court with authority’. ‘Excellent’ communication skills, the ability to work effectively and build rapport with the public and individuals from diverse backgrounds is also sought.

The Supreme Court said: ‘The role requires not only outstanding judicial skills but a leader of the highest calibre.’ Those who are ‘not serving justices will need to fulfil the statutory eligibility requirements and additional criteria for appointment.’

The current annual salary for the Supreme Court president is £290,213.

The membership of the selection commission is prescribed in statute and in the Supreme Court (Judicial Appointments) Regulations 2013. Members of the selection commission include the lady chief justice, Baroness Carr of Walton-on-the-Hill; Supreme Court judge Lord Lloyd-Jones, Dr Uchechi Igbokwe, judicial appointments commission for England and Wales, and Lindsay Montgomery, judicial appointments board for Scotland. The commission will be chaired by Colm Donaghy, Northern Ireland JAC.

Read more

Along with their application form, applicants must submit a diversity monitoring form, CV, a supporting statement and five ‘significant pieces of work that demonstrate…breadth of experience and ability to address legal problems in different areas of the law and how they meet the additional criteria for appointment’. They must also supply the names of two people who can provide an independent assessment.

Applications close at 5pm on 17 April with shortlisted applicants invited to an interview in late May. The new president is expected to be announced toward the end of the year.