The judge who will decide Charlie’s fate
ONCE described as ‘the smoothest family law silk at the Bar’, Mr Justice Francis – set to hear Charlie Gard’s case today – is one of the most junior High Court judges.
He was appointed to the court’s family division and awarded a knighthood last year.
Educated at Radley College, an independent boys’ boarding school in Oxfordshire, he went on to study at Downing College, Cambridge.
The judge, who is married with three children, was called to the Bar in 1981 and in more than 30 years as a barrister he specialised in divorces of the wealthy.
In 1999 he was appointed a recorder, or part-time judge, and he achieved the rank of Queen’s Counsel in 2002.
In 2011 he was made a deputy High Court judge.
The 59-year-old lists his hobbies in Who’s Who as ‘sailing, theatre, wine’, and is a member of the Royal Solent Yacht Club. In 201 the Bar Awards named him ‘Family Silk’ of the year while Chambers and Partners, which ranks lawyers, said he had ‘terrific attention to detail and is deadly in cross-examination’, and ‘doesn’t miss anything’.
The Legal 500, another legal rating service, has described Mr Justice Francis as ‘the smoothest family law silk at the Bar’, adding: ‘He is extremely knowledgeable and a great advocate.’