Sir Colin was sworn in as Master of the Rolls on Monday 2 November, becoming the second most senior judge in England and Wales.
On Monday 19 October, 30 students from The City Law School had the opportunity to visit the Rolls building and meet our distinguished alumnus, Sir Colin Birss, who was sworn in this week as the new Master of the Rolls by the Lady Chief Justice, at a ceremony at the Royal Courts of Justice. Sir Colin became the 99th Master of the Rolls, the second most senior judge in England and Wales.
During the visit, Sir Colin reflected on his remarkable career journey, beginning with his time doing the conversion course at City in the late 1980s having studied sciences at Cambridge as an undergraduate.
Following a successful career at the Bar, specialising in intellectual property law, Sir Colin was appointed as a judge of the Patents County Court in 2010, before progressing to the High Court in 2013 and the Court of Appeal in 2021. His subsequent roles have included Deputy Head of Civil Justice, Lead Judge for Artificial Intelligence and Chancellor of the High Court.
Sir Colin generously shared his experiences and insights into the legal profession, the judiciary and the evolving challenges facing the justice system. “The Law is an amazing job, and you give back to society”, he told the students, inviting them to “avoid seeing careers in retrospect” or think that careers are linear; his experience reflects that they are not and everything is possible. On a more practical level, he strongly encouraged the students to actively partake in a broad range of extracurricular activities and to speak to as many people as they can.
Our students had the opportunity to ask questions and engage in a lively and open discussion about legal careers and the administration of justice, including on the use of AI by a modern, 21st century judiciary or the centrality of advocacy and the skill required to be successful at it.
What made the occasion particularly memorable was Sir Colin's warmth, approachability, and genuine interest in engaging with the next generation of lawyers. His journey from City student to one of the country's most senior judicial offices is a wonderful example of where a legal education can lead.
Meeting Sir Colin at the Rolls building and following the lecture from the court where he usually presides from was equally exciting.
The visit also offered an excellent opportunity for informal conversations with Sir Colin and between students and The City Law School staff.
We extend our sincere thanks to Sir Colin and his staff for their generous hospitality and for making this such an enjoyable and rewarding experience for our students. We very much look forward to welcoming Sir Colin to The City Law School in the near future.
The visit was organised by Dr Marc Mimler, a member of the School's Intellectual Property Engagement Research Centre.
Professor Dimitrios Giannoulopoulos, the Head of the Department of Law (Academic Programmes) at the School, who supported the organisation of, and attended, the visit, thanked Sir Colin for his inspirational lecture and enthusiasm, and for advising and encouraging the students as they set out on their transformative learning and career development journey.
The visit took place in the context of The City Law School-wide initiatives that immerse students in legal institutions and bring them in contact with leading legal professionals in London.