Sir Colin Birss will succeed Sir Geoffrey Vos as Head of Civil Justice later this year
Lord Justice Birss has been appointed as the next Master of the Rolls following approval by His Majesty The King, the Courts and Tribunals Judiciary has announced. The appointment will take effect after the retirement of Sir Geoffrey Vos later this year.
The Master of the Rolls is the second most senior judicial office in England and Wales after the Lady Chief Justice. The role includes serving as President of the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal and Head of Civil Justice, with responsibility for overseeing the operation and development of the civil justice system. The office also chairs the Civil Justice Council and the Civil Procedure Rule Committee.
Lord Justice Birss is currently Chancellor of the High Court, having taken up that position in November 2025. Before that appointment, he served as Deputy Head of Civil Justice and was the judiciary’s Lead Judge for Artificial Intelligence. His judicial career has included appointments as a Senior Circuit Judge, a High Court judge assigned to the Chancery Division and, since 2021, a Lord Justice of Appeal.
The appointment follows the established statutory process for selecting Heads of Division. Candidates are considered by an independent selection panel convened by the Judicial Appointments Commission, with the appointment made by the King following the recommendation process set out in legislation.
For solicitors, the appointment is significant because the Master of the Rolls leads the civil courts and has a central role in shaping civil procedure and the wider administration of civil justice. The office oversees the Civil Procedure Rule Committee, which is responsible for making the procedural rules governing proceedings in the Court of Appeal (Civil Division), the High Court and the County Court. Decisions taken under the leadership of the Master of the Rolls can therefore have a direct impact on litigation practice, case management and procedural reform.
Lord Justice Birss has also played a prominent role in the judiciary’s work on technology and innovation, including artificial intelligence, while serving as Deputy Head of Civil Justice. His appointment comes as the senior judiciary prepares for a broader leadership transition following the retirement of several Heads of Division.
The announcement confirms that Sir Geoffrey Vos will leave office after serving as Master of the Rolls since January 2021. Lord Justice Birss will assume responsibility for leading the Civil Division of the Court of Appeal and the civil justice system in England and Wales upon taking up the role.