Lady Simler named new president of EWI

The Expert Witness Institute (EWI) is pleased to announce the appointment of Lady Simler, Justice of the Supreme Court, as its new President. This significant announcement was made on 15th October 2025, marking a new chapter for the Institute as it continues to advocate for high standards in expert evidence and the role of experts within the justice system.

Lady Simler brings a wealth of experience to her new position, having been called to the Bar by Inner Temple in 1987. Her legal journey began with her studies at Cambridge University, and she later completed a post-graduate diploma in EU law at the Europa Institute, University of Amsterdam. Simler practised law at Devereux Chambers, where she rose to become Head of Chambers. Additionally, she was a member of the Attorney General's Civil Panel A and served as Junior Counsel to the Inland Revenue (Common Law) from 2002 until her silk appointment in 2006.

Her judicial career commenced in October 2013 when she became a Judge of the High Court's King's Bench Division. In January 2015, she was appointed President of the Employment Appeal Tribunal and served in that role for three years. Furthering her commitment to diversity within the judiciary, she held the role of High Court Liaison Judge for Diversity and was appointed chair of the Diversity Committee of the Judges' Council in 2019. Lady Simler was sworn in as a Lady Justice of the Court of Appeal in June 2019 and took on the role of Justice of the Supreme Court in November 2023.

In her new role, Lady Simler succeeds The Right Hon Lord Hodge, who served as President since 2020 and is set to retire from the Supreme Court at the end of the year. EWI Chair, Sir Martin Spencer, expressed enthusiasm about Lady Simler's appointment, stating “We are thrilled to welcome Lady Simler as our new President. She has already demonstrated a strong interest in the role of experts, expert evidence and the work of the Institute. We look forward to working with her and bringing her strategic insight to the organisation and membership.”

Reflecting on her new responsibilities, Lady Simler shared her commitment to the Institute's mission by saying “It is a pleasure and a privilege to have been asked to take over from Lord Hodge as president of the Expert Witness Institute. There is a strong public interest in the work performed by experts and the justice system depends on expert evidence being both impartial and of the highest quality it can be. The EWI has an important role to play in supporting this and I look forward to working with the EWI and taking forward the excellent work done by my predecessor, Lord Hodge.”

With her extensive background and leadership qualities, Lady Simler is poised to lead the Expert Witness Institute into the future, reinforcing the essential role of expert evidence in the pursuit of justice.