Sumption arrives at Supreme Court

Jonathan Sumption QC, formerly the joint head of Brick Court Chambers, was sworn in as a justice of the Supreme Court last week.

Lord Sumption's appointment was announced in May 2011, but he delayed his arrival at the UK's most senior court to finish representing Roman Abramovich, the owner of Chelsea football club, in his $6.5bn dispute with oligarch Boris Berezovsky.

This followed an extended period of media speculation over whether the talented silk would be appointed to the Supreme Court at the end of 2009.

In the end he withdrew his application, amid reports of opposition from existing Court of Appeal judges to the idea of a QC being parachuted in.

Sumption's appointment is virtually unpredecented. Lord Reid, a Scottish KC, was appointed straight to the appellate committee of the House of Lords in 1948, but he had served as Solicitor General for Scotland and Lord Advocate.

Lord Phillips, president of the Supreme Court, conducted the ceremony in which Sumption took the judicial oath and oath of allegiance in front of other Supreme Court justices dressed in their ceremonial robes, as well as friends, family and other guests.

The new justice shook hands with each of the other justices, before bowing to them. The bench of justices then bowed to the new justice.

A spokesman for the Supreme Court said Lord Sumption began sitting on a panel of five justices hearing Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. v E.N.E. Kos 1 Limited, a shipping dispute.

Lord Sumption's appointment follows the retirement of Lord Collins last year. The spokesman said Lord Reed, whose appointment was announced on 20 December 2011, would be sworn in as a justice on 6 February 2012.