Sumption sworn in at Supreme Court

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

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 directly into the court.

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.

Sumption is the third justice to be sworn in since the Supreme Court was opened in October 2009. His appointment follows the retirement of Lord Collins last year.

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 would begin sitting tomorrow, joining a panel of five justices hearing Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. v E.N.E. Kos 1 Limited, a shipping dispute.

He said that Lord Reed, whose appointment was announced on 20 December 2011, would be sworn-in as a justice on 6 February 2012.