The Hon. Mrs Justice McGowan
Maura McGowan was appointed a High Court Judge in 2014. She sits in the Queen’s Bench Division and is currently a Presiding Judge on the South Eastern Circuit – only the second woman ever to have been a Presider on that Circuit.
She was named Lawyer of the Year by Legal Business in 2014 and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Chambers UK in 2016.
Maura was Chair of the Bar Council of England and Wales in 2013 – only the second woman Chair. She had previously served on the Conduct and Law Reform Committees.
She has been involved with the Inn throughout her career, starting on the MTSA and then on the Hall Committee. She was elected a Bencher in 2005 and was Chair of the Bench Selection Advisory Committee from 2015-18.
She is an Advanced International Advocacy Trainer and has taught and lectured in many jurisdictions; she is involved in international judicial training in Uganda, Mexico and (with AdvocAid) in Sierra Leone.
Maura is a consulting editor of Archbold, sits on the editorial board of the Criminal Law Review, is a Trustee of the British and Irish Legal Information Institute and a Governor of Goodenough College, London. She will be Treasurer in 2022.