David James Tyson Kitchin, Lord Kitchin, PC (born 30 April 1955) is a British judge who served as a

Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom Justices of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom are the judges of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom other than President of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom, the president and Deputy President of the Supreme Court of the United ...

from 2018 to 2023. He has also served as a

Lord Justice of Appeal A Lord Justice of Appeal or Lady Justice of Appeal is a judge of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales, the court that hears appeals from the High Court of Justice, the Crown Court and other courts and tribunals. A Lord (or Lady) Just ...

from 2011 to 2018.

Career

Having attended

Oundle School Oundle School is a public school (United Kingdom), public school (English Private schools in the United Kingdom, fee-charging boarding school, boarding and day school) for pupils 11–18 situated in the market town of Oundle in Northamptonshire ...

and studied

Natural Sciences Natural science or empirical science is one of the branches of science concerned with the description, understanding and prediction of natural phenomena, based on empirical evidence from observation and experimentation. Mechanisms such as peer ...

as an undergraduate at

Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Fitzwilliam College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college has origins from 1869, with the foundation of the Non-Collegiate Students Board, a venture intended to offer academically excellent students of all ...

, Kitchin switched to Law in his final year and was called to the Bar (

Gray's Inn The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister in England and Wale ...

) in 1977; he has been a

bencher A bencher or Master of the Bench is a senior member of an Inn of Court in England and Wales or the Inns of Court in Northern Ireland, or the Honorable Society of King's Inns in Ireland. Benchers hold office for life once elected. A bencher c ...

since 2003. During his university days, he also coxed the Cambridge team that won the 1975 Boat Race. Kitchin became a

Queen's Counsel A King's Counsel (Post-nominal letters, post-nominal initials KC) is a senior lawyer appointed by the monarch (or their Viceroy, viceregal representative) of some Commonwealth realms as a "Counsel learned in the law". When the reigning monarc ...

in 1994. In 2001, he was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge. He was appointed to the

High Court of Justice The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal (England and Wales), Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Courts of England and Wales, Senior Cour ...

on 3 October 2005 and assigned to the

Chancery Division The High Court of Justice in London, known properly as His Majesty's High Court of Justice in England, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, are the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Its name is abbreviated as EWHC (England ...

; he was

knighted A knight is a person granted an honorary title of a knighthood by a head of state (including the pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church, or the country, especially in a military capacity. The concept of a knighthood ...

in the same year. Kitchin has served as Chancery Supervising Judge for the Wales, Western and Midland Circuits since 2009. In 2011, he was appointed a

effective 5 October 2011, and received the customary appointment to the Privy Council. Kitchin became a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom (UKSC) on 1 October 2018, taking the

judicial courtesy title A courtesy title is a form of address and/or reference in the British system of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer, as well as certain officials such as some judges and members of the Scottish gentry. Thes ...

of Lord Kitchin. He served at the UKSC until his retirement on 29 September 2023.

References

1955 births People educated at Oundle School Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Chancery Division judges Knights Bachelor Living people Members of Gray's Inn Members of the Privy Council of the United Kingdom Judges of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom Lord justices of appeal Members of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council 20th-century King's Counsel 21st-century King's Counsel {{UK-law-bio-stub