Judges

The Hon Mr Justice Fancourt, Vice-Chancellor of the County Palatine of Lancaster

Mr Justice Fancourt began his judicial career in 2009 when he was appointed a Recorder of the Crown Court. He sat regularly in the Crown Court until 2018. Having been appointed a Deputy High Court Judge of the Chancery Division in 2013 he was then appointed a High Court Judge to sit in the Chancery Division in 2018. He served as President of the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) from August 2019 to August 2022 and was then appointed Vice-Chancellor in September 2021, in succession to Mr Justice Snowden. As such, he is the supervising judge for the Business and Property Courts on the Northern and North-Eastern Circuits. He published Enforceability of Landlord and Tenant Covenants (3^rd ed. 2014) and is the general editor of Muir Watt and Moss, Agricultural Holdings (15^th ed).

His Honour Judge Kramer

His Honour Judge Kramer is the resident BPC judge in Newcastle but also sits in Leeds and at the Rolls Building.

Appointed in November 2017, he is ticketed to sit in the Chancery Division and King’s Bench Division as a judge of the High Court and in the following specialist lists: The Circuit Commercial Court, The Technology and Construction Court and The Administrative Court.

Judge Kramer attended the University of Newcastle upon Tyne where he read law. He practised as a barrister in Newcastle from 1984 during which time he dealt with property and employment disputes as well as general common law work. He was on the list of Treasury Counsel for 15 years prior to his full-time appointment. Appointed a Deputy District Judge in 2000, he became a Chancery Recorder in 2008, a full time District Judge in 2013 and a Specialist Circuit Judge in November 2017. He was a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators from 1999 until his full- time appointment in 2013.

Publications: Assistant Editor of Charlesworth and Percy on Negligence, 13,^th 14^th and 15^th Editions.

District Judge Temple

District Judge Michelle Temple is a graduate of University College Oxford and was called to the Bar in 1992.

After a pupillage at 1 New Square in London she moved to Broad Chare Chambers in Newcastle upon Tyne where she practised for 17 years before moving to Trinity Chambers. She specialised in Chancery and Commercial work with a particular interest in property and probate cases. She also developed a thriving Court of Protection practice, particularly in property and affairs matters.

She was appointed as a Deputy District Judge in 2010 and was authorised to sit in Chancery work as a Deputy. She was appointed a full time District Judge with Chancery authorisation in April 2013. She is the Senior Chancery District Judge in Newcastle upon Tyne and the Regional Lead Judge for the Court of Protection.

District Judge Terence Phillips

District Judge Terence Phillips was appointed as a DDJ in 2015. He became authorised to hear BPC matters following his appointment as a full time District Judge in 2018.

He was admitted as a solicitor in 2006 and practiced at a multi-national law firm. He specialised in insolvency litigation and worked with individual clients and office holders across a wide spectrum of disputes as well as advising in relation to regulatory matters for government departments.

District Judge David Hambler

District Judge David Hambler was appointed as a DDJ in 2015. He became authorised to hear BPC matters as a Deputy, and has continued to do so following his full-time appointment in 2019.

After graduating from Oxford and undertaking his post-graduate legal qualifications at the University of Northumbria, he was admitted as a solicitor in 2001 and practiced at a large national firm. His area of specialism was commercial and residential property litigation, and he dealt with a wide variety of contentious matters in this field on behalf of large companies, national charities, public sector bodies and individuals