Dame Karen Margaret Steyn, DBE (born 20 October 1970)[1] is a British High Court judge.

Mrs Justice Steyn
High Court Judge
King's Bench Division
Assumed office
1 October 2019
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Personal details
Born (1970-10-20) 20 October 1970 (age 54)
Cape Town, South Africa
NationalityBritish
Alma materUniversity of Liverpool

Early life and education

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Steyn is the daughter of former Lord of Appeal in Ordinary Lord Steyn and his wife Jean Steyn and was born Cape Town, South Africa and grew up in Kent, England.[2] She was educated at Tonbridge Grammar School and completed a BA in history at the University of Liverpool. Following her bachelor's, she completed a postgraduate law conversion course at City University and she received Middle Temple's Harmsworth Scholarship.[3][1]

Career

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Steyn was called to the bar at Middle Temple in 1995. She practised public law, human rights and public international law, from 4–5 Gray's Inn Square from 1996 to 2000, then 11 King's Bench Walk from 2000.[4] She took silk in 2014 and was appointed a deputy High Court judge in 2016.[1]

High Court appointment

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On 1 October 2019, Steyn was appointed a judge of the High Court, replacing the retiring Sir Timothy King, and assigned to the Queen's Bench Division.[5][6] She received the customary damehood in the same year. She serves as a liaison judge for the Administrative Court.[5][1] In 2020, Steyn served as a temporary judicial commissioner under the Investigatory Powers Commissioner Sir Brian Leveson.[7] In 2021, Steyn along with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Mrs Justice Jefford comprised the first all-female bench on the Court of Appeal.[8]

Personal life

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In 1997, she married Alexander Glassbrook, with whom she has two sons.[1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Steyn, Hon. Dame Karen (Margaret), (born 20 Oct. 1970)". Who's Who (UK). 1 December 2021. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.u280393. ISBN 978-0-19-954088-4. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  2. ^ "EXCLUSIVE: Top judge's daughter who's now a judge herself fronts judicial diversity campaign". Legal Cheek. 17 November 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  3. ^ "Recently Benched – Middle Temple". Middle Temple. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  4. ^ "Karen Steyn QC elevated to the High Court Bench". 11KBW. 15 August 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  5. ^ a b "Senior Judiciary". Judiciary UK. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  6. ^ "High Court appointments announced". New Law Journal. 19 August 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  7. ^ "Temporary Judicial Commissioners appointed – IPCO". Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office. Retrieved 20 April 2022.
  8. ^ "Judges make history as first all-female Court of Appeal sits in Wales". Judiciary UK. 2 August 2021. Retrieved 16 July 2022.