The Isle of Man’s First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls, His Honour Andrew Corlett, has been elected as an Honorary Master of the Bench of Gray’s Inn, one of the four professional associations for barristers and judges in England and Wales. He has also been appointed by His Majesty the King to the Courts of Appeal in both Jersey and Guernsey.
To practise law in England and Wales, barristers must belong to one of the four Inns of Court, as only members of an Inn can legally be called to the Bar. The Inns play an important role in the continuing education, professional development and social life of barristers. Masters of the Bench, known as Benchers, are responsible for the governance of the Inns of Court, although Honorary Benchers do not play a direct role.
First Deemster Corlett said:
‘It is a particular honour both in a personal sense and for the Island’s judiciary and legal profession to be elected. It is my hope that it will strengthen the close historical links between the Isle of Man and Gray’s Inn.’
His appointment to the Courts of Appeal in Jersey and Guernsey reflects the recent practice of senior judges from the three Crown Dependencies occasionally sitting in each other’s courts. It is anticipated that the First Deemster will sit in Jersey and Guernsey for around two to three weeks each year. He has recently returned from Guernsey where he sat to hear a variety of appeals in the criminal, civil and matrimonial jurisdictions.
First Deemster Corlett said he is looking forward to the challenge of sitting as a judge in different jurisdictions which nevertheless face common legal issues and where much can be learnt from different approaches. The Bailiffs, the Chief Justices of Jersey and Guernsey, have sat on occasion in the Isle of Man as Acting Deemsters with the Island’s Judge of Appeal and will continue to do so as and when required.
Called to the Bar of England and Wales by Gray’s Inn in 1984, First Deemster Corlett returned to the Isle of Man as a practising advocate and became a member of the Island’s judiciary in 2007. He was appointed First Deemster and Clerk of the Rolls in 2018.
