King approves reappointment of solicitor judge Adam Johnson as senior judicial commissioner
The Honourable Mr Justice Adam Johnson has been reappointed as a senior judicial commissioner of the Judicial Appointments Commission (JAC).
The reappointment, which begins this month, was approved by the King on the recommendation of the lord chancellor. The post is for one year.
Mr Justice Johnson was first appointed as one of the six judicial commissioners of the JAC in 2022 for a three-year term. His current reappointment extends his service as senior judicial commissioner for an additional year.
The Judicial Appointments Commission is an independent body established to select candidates for judicial office in courts and tribunals in England and Wales. Judicial commissioners play a key role in ensuring that appointments are made fairly and on merit, according to the commission’s statutory responsibilities.
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Mr Justice Johnson was admitted as a solicitor in 1990. He became a partner at Herbert Smith — now Herbert Smith Freehills — in 1997. In 2006, he helped to establish the firm’s in-house advocacy unit. He took silk in 2017.
He was appointed as a deputy High Court judge in 2018, following more than three decades of practice as a solicitor, and in 2020 he was appointed a High Court judge, assigned to the Chancery Division.
Mr Justice Johnson is among four current judicial commissioners who have been admitted to the roll of solicitors. His reappointment as senior judicial commissioner continues his contribution to the Judicial Appointments Commission, which is responsible for making recommendations for judicial appointments to the lord chancellor and the Crown.
The JAC’s structure includes a lay chair, judicial commissioners, and non-judicial members. Judicial commissioners provide judicial expertise in the appointments process and ensure that procedures comply with statutory principles of merit and fairness.
Mr Justice Johnson’s continued service as senior judicial commissioner follows the completion of his initial term and comes as the commission continues its work in overseeing judicial appointments across multiple levels of the judiciary.
The High Court judge’s legal career began as a solicitor in private practice. After joining Herbert Smith, he became known for his work in commercial and chancery litigation. His subsequent call to the Bar and appointment as Queen’s Counsel in 2017 reflected his transition into advocacy and leadership within the firm’s legal team.
In 2018, he was appointed a deputy High Court judge before his full-time appointment to the bench in 2020. His assignment to the Chancery Division placed him among the judges handling complex commercial, trust, and property matters.
The reappointment reflects the continued involvement of solicitors within the senior judicial ranks, a point noted in earlier reports about the composition of the JAC. The commission includes members from both judicial and non-judicial backgrounds to ensure a broad perspective in judicial selection and governance.
The JAC operates under the Constitutional Reform Act 2005 and is responsible for ensuring open competition in judicial recruitment. Its senior judicial commissioners oversee the appointment processes and uphold the commission’s commitment to transparency and equal opportunity.
Mr Justice Johnson’s reappointment as senior judicial commissioner maintains continuity within the commission’s leadership and ensures the continued contribution of senior judicial experience from the Chancery Division of the High Court.
The JAC said the reappointment of senior judicial commissioners helps to ensure consistency in the leadership of the commission’s decision-making processes.
Mr Justice Johnson’s appointment was made through the formal constitutional process, with the King’s approval granted on the advice of the lord chancellor, in line with established procedure.