Richard Aikens
Sir Richard John Pearson Aikens PC is a retired British judge, who was a Lord Justice of Appeal from 2008 to 2015.Career
Aikens was educated at Norwich School and St John's College, Cambridge, where he read history and law. He was called to the Bar in 1973 and joined what is now Brick Court Chambers in 1974. He became a Bencher in 1994, and Queen's Counsel in 1986. He was appointed a Recorder in 1993.
On 6 May 1999, Aikens was appointed to the High Court of Justice, receiving the customary knighthood, and was assigned to the Queen's Bench Division. He was a judge of the Commercial and Admiralty Courts from 1999-2008, and was in charge of the Commercial Court in 2005-6). He was chairman of the Commercial Court Long Trials Working Party in 2006. On 19 November 2008, Aikens became a Lord Justice of Appeal, and received the customary appointment to the Privy Council the same year. He retired as a Lord Justice of Appeal on 2 November 2015.
After retirement as a judge, Aikens rejoined Brick Court Chambers as a door tenant.
He is a Visiting Professor at Queen Mary University of London and King's College, London.
Aikens is a supporter of Brexit, writing "our ability to determine our own laws is picked apart by the EU and its unaccountable judges. For the future of our democracy, we should vote Leave".
He is married with 2 sons and 2 step daughters.
