PRESS RELEASE : Five non-judicial members reappointed to the Civil Justice Council [March 2023]

The Lord Chancellor has reappointed the following non-judicial members, of the CJC:

• Diane Astin, Housing Member: from 15 October 2022 until 14 October 2025
• Nicola Critchley, Defendant Solicitor/Insurers Member: from 25 July 2022 until 24 July 2025
• Elisabeth Davies, Consumer Affairs Member: from 1 January 2022 until 31 December 2024
• Prof. Andrew Higgins, Academic Member: from 1 January 2022 until 31 December 2024
• Rhodri Williams KC, Welsh Interests Member: from 1 January 2022 until 31 December 2024

The Civil Justice Council (CJC) is a statutory advisory body established under the Civil Procedure Act 1997. The CJC’s membership brings together: the judiciary; civil servants; legal professionals and; those representative of the varied perspectives, expertise and experience from right across our civil justice system.

The CJC has a statutory function to review the civil justice system and also advises the government, the judiciary, the Rule Committee and others on the development of civil justice, especially how it can be made more accessible, fair and efficient. It is empowered to recommend changes and propose research.

Biographies

Diane Astin: teaches at Brunel University, London as a Lecturer in Legal Practice. She has previously taught law at the Universities of Westminster and North London. She works for Deighton Pierce Glynn. Previously she has worked at the Public Law Project, Islington Law Centre and Shelter as well as several legal aid firms. She specialises in housing, public law and community care and is the author of the Legal Action Group book “Housing Law Handbook”. Diane Astin has not declared any political activity.

Nicola Critchley: is a Partner at DWF, Manchester. She has extensive experience of dealing with high value costs litigation, costs budgeting, appeals, fraud, technical challenges, portal dropouts, infant approvals, fixed recoverable costs issues and bulk test litigation on behalf of insurers, the self-insured, and organisations. She is a member of the Forum of Insurance Lawyers. Nicola Critchley has not declared any political activity.

Elisabeth Davies: is currently the Chair of the Office for Legal Complaints which oversees the Legal Ombudsman scheme and is also Chair of the Assurance and Appointments Committee of the General Pharmaceutical Council. She is currently Chair of the Prisoners’ Education Trust and was previously a Trustee of Support Through Court; supporting people going through the court process without legal representation. Elisabeth Davies has not declared any political activity.

Andrew Higgins: is an Associate Professor of Civil Procedure, University of Oxford and a fellow of Mansfield College. He is currently General Editor of Civil Justice Quarterly. He previously worked as a solicitor for the Australian law firm Slater & Gordon and was admitted to the Victorian Bar in 2011. Andrew Higgins has not declared any political activity.

Rhodri Williams KC: is a barrister specialising in EU law, local government law and public and administrative law from Chambers in Cardiff and London. He deals with cases involving both local and regional government, including advising the Welsh Government and other Government Departments and local authorities, in England, Wales and in Northern Ireland. Rhodri Williams has not declared any political activity.

The appointment of non-judicial members of the CJC are made by the Lord Chancellor and are regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. These re-appointments have been made in line with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.