Lord Reed confirms he will retire as President of the UK Supreme Court in January 2027
The President of the UK Supreme Court, Lord Reed of Allermuir, has announced his intention to retire from the Court on 10 January 2027.
The announcement was made on Friday 16 January 2026. Lord Reed will step down after seven years as President, concluding a judicial career that has included 15 years as a Justice of the Supreme Court and 28 years in the senior judiciary.
Lord Reed was appointed to the Supreme Court in February 2012. He became Deputy President in June 2018 and was appointed President in January 2020, succeeding Lady Hale of Richmond. During his tenure, he has played a central role in shaping the development and administration of the law and is widely recognised for his legal scholarship, judgment and commitment to public service.
In addition to his judicial work, Lord Reed has led efforts to strengthen bilateral relationships with foreign supreme courts and jurisdictions. He has overseen sittings of the Supreme Court outside London and revived the practice of judges from Judicial Committee of the Privy Council jurisdictions sitting on the Committee when it hears appeals.
Announcing his decision, Lord Reed said he would retire after completing seven years as President, describing his service as a privilege. He said it had been a pleasure to work with colleagues past and present in developing the law and strengthening the administration of justice across the United Kingdom and Privy Council jurisdictions worldwide.
Following his retirement, it is expected that the Lord Chancellor will convene an independent selection commission, in accordance with parliamentary rules, to appoint Lord Reed’s successor.
Lord Reed studied law at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Oxford. He qualified as an advocate in Scotland and as a barrister in England and Wales. His early career included extensive practice at the Scottish Bar, where he worked on a wide range of civil matters and prosecuted serious crime.
He served as a senior judge in Scotland for 13 years, sitting in the Outer House of the Court of Session from 1998 to 2008, including as Principal Commercial Judge, and in the Inner House from 2008 to 2012. Alongside his Supreme Court duties, Lord Reed sits on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council and is a member of the panel of ad hoc judges of the European Court of Human Rights. He also holds the ceremonial role of High Steward of the University of Oxford.