ɪn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd wˈʌn, hiː wʌz mˌeɪd sˌuːpɚvˈɪsɚɹi tʃˈænsɚɹi dʒˈʌdʒ ʌv mˈɪdlənd, wˈeɪlz ænd tʃˈɛstɚ, ænd ʌvðə wˈɛstɚn sˈɜːkɪts, ɐ pˈoʊst hiː hˈɛld ʌntˈɪl twˈɛlv dʒˈænjuːˌɛɹi tˈuː θˈaʊzənd fˈoːɹ, wˌɛn hiː wʌz ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd ɐ lˈɔːɹd dʒˈʌstɪs ʌv ɐpˈiːl ænd ɐ mˈɛmbɚɹ ʌvðə pɹˈɪvi kˈaʊnsəl.
In 2001, he was made Supervisory Chancery Judge of Midland, Wales and Chester, and of the Western Circuits, a post he held until 12 January 2004, when he was appointed a Lord Justice of Appeal and a member of the Privy Council.