There was an emotional time had in the Supreme Court yesterday as the valedictories were held for Lords Neuberger and Clarke.

Lord Clarke was in fact the first Justice to be appointed and before that time had a long and distinguished career in the judiciary dating back to 1993. As well as being a member of the Worshipful Company of Shipwrights Clarke led the Thames Safety Enquiry and well as heading the judicial report into the Marchioness Disaster. Later he would go on to become Master of the Rolls. In fact when he went on to become a Supreme Court justice he essentially swapped roles with Lord Neuberger who stepped down from the highest court in the land to become Master of the Rolls. Having shaped the entire life of the Supreme Court to this point, Clarke has been a part of some the court’s most important decisions. His knowledge on shipping as well as a wide range of other legal issues will be missed upon his retirement.

Lord Neuberger will pass the presidency of the Supreme Court to Lady Hale as discussed in a previous article. His tenure will be remembered as more controversial than most and as he has approached his retirement has been more than happy to speak his mind on a range of subjects such as access to justice, criticism of judges and funding for the court system. This has not always endeared him to certain political and legal circles but is perhaps a sign of the way that a modern judiciary should work. By making headlines and being more visible to the public Neuberger has done a lot to make sure that the court is seen as fresh and relevant. In particular the Brexit case put a lot of strain and scrutiny on the court but the way that the case was dealt with from the hearings through to the final judgment was admirable and sets a precedent for Lady Hale to follow. In fact over the next few years it is likely that such high profile cases will become even more commonplace in the age of Brexit and the mantle will now pass to Lady Hale to ensure that the court is up to this significant task.