The Lord Chancellor has approved the appointment of the following
members of the Civil Justice Council (CJC) for 3 years from 23
January 2026:
- Andrew Brookes, Housing member
- Naomi Creutzfeldt, Academic member
- Frances Harrison, Consumer member
- Owain James, Welsh representative member
- Jane Portas, Insurance member
- Tim Sawyer, Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) member
- Nigel Teasdale, Solicitor member
The CJC is an advisory body established under the Civil Procedure
Act 1997. It reviews the civil justice system and advises the
judiciary, government and rule-makers on reform, accessibility,
fairness and efficiency.
Appointments are made by the Secretary of State for Justice and
regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments, in line
with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.
BiographiesAndrew Brookes
Andrew Brookes is a solicitor specialising in housing law and a
Partner at Anthony Gold Solicitors LLP. He has over 30 years'
experience practising across courts and tribunals and has
previously served as a Deputy District Judge.
Naomi Creutzfeldt
Naomi Creutzfeldt is Professor of Law and Society at the
University of Kent. Her work focuses on administrative and civil
justice systems, including alternative dispute resolution, access
to justice and consumer protection.
Frances Harrison
Frances Harrison is a specialist in consumer affairs with
experience in local authority advice services and national
consumer policy. She is a former Head of Policy and Research at
the National Consumer Council and currently holds roles with
ombudsmen and consumer codes bodies.
Owain Rhys James
Owain Rhys James is a barrister at Civitas Chambers in Cardiff
with a broad civil practice. He sits as a Deputy District Judge
and practises bilingually in Welsh and English.
Jane Portas OBE
Jane Portas OBE is a chartered accountant and former partner at
KPMG and PwC. She has held senior roles in insurance regulation
and financial services, including at the UK financial services
regulator.
Tim Sawyer
Tim Sawyer has spent most of his career in banking and financial
services. He has held senior executive roles in the UK and
internationally, including as Chief Executive of Bank of Maldives
and the Start Up Loans Company.
Nigel Teasdale
Nigel Teasdale is Global Commercial Director for Insurance at
DWF. He has extensive experience in the insurance sector and has
contributed to policy discussions on insurance and civil justice
reform
