Professor Sir Ernest Ryder

The Rt Hon Professor Lord Justice Ryder, Lord Justice of Appeal, PC TD DL QC LLD (h.c.) FRSA is the Senior President of Tribunals.

Professor Sir Ernest Ryder succeeded the Baroness Morris of Bolton OBE DL DPhil LLD as the University's second Chancellor. He served his three year term from 1 January 2014 until December 31 2016.

One of the UK’s leading judges, Sir Ernest was born and raised locally and educated at Bolton School. He graduated from the University of Cambridge and was a Judge of the High Court of Justice (Family Division) from 2004-2014. From 2014 he was elevated to the Court of Appeal being appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal. He awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Laws for his contribution to the legal profession by the University in 2013. Also, in acknowledgment of his appointment as Senior President of Tribunals, he was made an Honorary Professor of Law in 2015.

As a High Court Judge assigned to the specialist Family Division, Sir Ernest heard cases from the family courts across England and Wales. Before becoming a judge, as a barrister, specialising in family and administrative law, he worked on many high-profile cases and inquiries.

His other judiciary roles have included the Presiding Judge Northern Circuit and as a senior Judge in England, tasked with the modernisation of family justice. Both of these terms came to an end in 2013. Prior to his legal career, Sir Ernest worked as merchant banker before being called to the Bar in 1981. From 18 September 2015 he was appointed the Senior President of Tribunals for a five-year term, where he heads up and is responsible for all tribunals judiciary.