Robert Carnwath, Lord Carnwath of Notting Hill

Robert John Anderson Carnwath, Lord Carnwath of Notting Hill, CVO, PC (born 15 March 1945) is a former British Supreme Court judge.[1]

The Right Honourable Lord Carnwath of Notting Hill CVO PC
Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom
In office 17 April 2012 – 6 March 2020
Nominated by	Kenneth Clarke
Appointed by	Elizabeth II
Preceded by	The Lord Brown of Eaton-under-Heywood
Succeeded by	Lord Leggatt
Senior President of Tribunals
In office 12 November 2007 – 17 April 2012
Preceded by	Inaugural
Succeeded by	Lord Justice Sullivan
Lord Justice of Appeal
In office 15 January 2002 – 17 April 2012
Chairman of the Law Commission of England and Wales
In office 1998 – July 2002
Preceded by	Lady Justice Arden
Succeeded by	Lord Justice Toulson
Personal details
Born	Robert John Anderson Carnwath (1945-03-15) 15 March 1945
Education	Eton College
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge

The son of Sir Andrew Carnwath KCVO, Robert Carnwath was educated at Eton College, where he won the Newcastle Scholarship, and Trinity College, Cambridge.[2]

Carnwath was called to the Bar at Middle Temple in 1968. He practised in parliamentary law, planning and local government, revenue law, and administrative law. He held the appointment of junior counsel to the Inland Revenue (Common Law) from 1980 to 1985, succeeded by Alan Moses, later Lord Justice Moses. He became a Queen's Counsel in 1985, and was Attorney General to the Prince of Wales from 1988 to 1994.

He was appointed as a High Court judge on 3 October 1994, assigned to the Chancery Division, and received the customary knighthood. He served as chairman of the Law Commission from 1999 to July 2002. He was promoted to the Court of Appeal on 15 January 2002 and, as is customary, became a member of the Privy Council. He was sworn in as the first Senior President of Tribunals on 12 November 2007.

On 20 December 2011, Carnwath was announced as an appointee to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.[3] By Royal Warrant, all members of the Supreme Court, even if they do not hold a peerage, are entitled to the judicial courtesy title "Lord" for life.[4][5] Carnwath was granted the judicial courtesy title Lord Carnwath of Notting Hill.

Carnwath is the chairman of the advisory council for the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies. He plays the piano and viola, as well as singing in the Bach Choir.

Lord Carnwath is an honorary professor of law at University College London, an Honorary Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge, and a visiting professor in practice at the Grantham Research Institute at the London School of Economics. Outside the law, he is a keen amateur musician. He is a former governor of the Royal Academy of Music (Hon FRAM) and former chairman of the Britten-Pears Foundation.