Executive Team
Mark Ormerod
Chief Executive
Mark has been Chief Executive of the Supreme Court and the JCPC since September 2015.
The role involves responsibility for all the non-judicial functions of the Court and overseeing the administration of a team of approximately 50 staff and contractors supporting the work of the Justices. The Chief Executive is an Accounting Officer in their own right.
Mark was previously Chief Executive of the Probation Association between October 2011 and July 2014.
Over a varied Civil Service career, much of it spent in justice administration, Mark has served as Chief Executive of the Law Commission of England and Wales (March 2009 - September 2011) and Director of Civil and Family Justice at the then DCA/Ministry of Justice (2004 - 2009). He was Principal Private Secretary to the Lord Chancellor (Lord Mackay of Clashfern) between 1993 and 1996.
Mark succeeded Jenny Rowe CB, the Supreme Court's first Chief Executive, who retired in 2015.
Sam Clark
Director of Corporate Services
Sam became Director of Corporate Services of the Supreme Court and the JCPC in January 2019
Sam was previously Deputy Director of Governance and Assurance for HM Courts and Tribunals Service where she led the creation of a joined up, transparent and consistent governance and assurance function supporting delivery of the work of the courts, tribunals and offices, as well as enhancing the strategic assurance for the Agency as a whole. Prior to that Sam was Board Secretary and Head of the Chief Executive's Office, again within HM Courts and Tribunals Service (2013 - 2016).
Over her career, Sam has held a variety of roles, most of them within justice administration with a focus of courts and supporting operational delivery. These include Head of Security and Safety for HM Courts Service and then HM Courts and Tribunals Service; Deputy Departmental Security Officer for the then Department for Constitutional Affairs, now the Ministry of Justice and a variety of roles working with and supporting the work of magistrates' courts.
Louise di Mambro
Registrar
Louise has been Registrar of the Supreme Court since 1 October 2009 and Registrar of the Privy Council since 1 April 2011.
As Registrar, she exercises judicial and administrative functions under the two sets of Rules and Practice Directions which provide the procedure for these Courts.
From June 2008 until September 2009, Louise was Deputy Head of the Judicial Office of the House of Lords, supporting the Law Lords in their judicial functions. Before that, Louise was a deputy master in the Court of Appeal, Civil Division, working in the Royal Courts of Justice from December 1997 to May 2008.
From September 1977 to December 1997, Louise held various posts as a member of the Government Legal Service in the Treasury Solicitor’s Department and the Lord Chancellor’s Department. Louise was called to the Bar in July 1976.
Sanj Bhumber
Director of Finance
Sanj was appointed Director of Finance of the Supreme Court in November 2019.
Sanj is a qualified accountant and was previously the Head of In Year financial management and external reporting in HMRC. He led on the financial forecasting for the department exercising effective financial management and control of the budgets. He led the production of the monthly HMRC management accounts setting out the projected spending position for the year making appropriate recommendations on any actions deemed necessary to ensure HMRC lives within its budget whilst maximising performance delivery. Sanj also had other roles in HRMC, including being a Senior Finance Business Partner and Finance Director of different business groups within HMRC.
Sanj has also worked in the Cabinet Office in various finance roles including being the Finance Responsible Officer (FRO) for a major change front line IT enabled Programme changing the face of the electoral registration process in Great Britain, which is fundamental to the democratic process. The Programme was part of the Government's Major Projects Portfolio and Digital service's exemplars and was delivered on time, of the right quality and on budget.
Sophia Linehan-Biggs
Head of Communications (Job share)
Sophia was appointed Head of Communications for the Supreme Court in September 2017.
She is responsible for promoting public understanding of the UK Supreme Court and its decisions, leading the communications function, and managing all education, outreach and public engagement programmes.
Sophia was previously Deputy Director of Communications, and before that Head of Media, for the House of Commons. In 2015 she was Communications and Partnerships Manager at the Houses of Parliament, promoting a year-long programme of events and projects across the UK celebrating the 800th anniversary of the sealing of Magna Carta.
Prior to this Sophia worked in the cultural sector. Between 2012 and 2014 she was Director of Marketing and Communications for the English Folk Dance and Song Society, the national folk arts development organisation. She was the Head of Marketing and Communications for Manchester Camerata chamber orchestra until 2011.
Janet Coull Trisic
Head of Communications (Job share)
Janet was appointed Head of Communications for the Supreme Court in January 2019.
Janet is responsible for promoting public understanding of the UK Supreme Court and its decisions, leading the communications function, and managing all education, outreach and public engagement programmes.
Janet has spent the majority of her career as a public sector communications professional, having worked at several government departments, the House of Commons and the National Audit Office.
Paul Brigland
Head of IT and Building Services
Paul joined the Supreme Court in June 2011.
He has overall responsibility for the effective provision of all contracted and office services (including Hard Facilities Management, ICT, security guarding and cleaning). He is responsible for building management, accommodation and Health & Safety issues.
Immediately before this, he spent three years in the Ministry of Justice Data Access & Compliance Unit advising on Freedom of Information and Data Protection issues.
Previously he worked at the Lord Chancellor's Department as Diary Manager to the Lord Chancellor (Lord Irvine) and as a Training Course Manager (Civil & Family Judiciary) at the Judicial Studies Board.
Chris Maile
Head of Human Resources
Chris joined the Supreme Court in August 2011.
He started his career initially as a barrister's clerk in the Temple, before moving into Human Resources and studying for his CIPD qualification.
He advised Headteachers and School Governors in the education sector for over 8 years, and then joined the Lord Chancellor's Department in 2003 working in the HR casework team.
From 2008 he led a team of HR Advisors in supporting and guiding managers on a wide range of HR issues across the Ministry of Justice.
Ian Sewell
Deputy Registrar of the Supreme Court
Ian joined the Supreme Court in October 2009 and was appointed Deputy Registrar in September 2018. He is also Costs Clerk to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Ian supports the Registrar and deputizes for her in her absence. He manages the Judicial Support Unit which services the Justices’ administrative and secretarial needs; oversees the delivery of judgments; and is responsible for costs procedures of the Supreme Court and Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
He was Judicial Taxing Clerk in the House of Lords from 2006 before transferring to the Supreme Court in 2009, and held a number of administrative posts in the House of Lords Legislation Office prior to that. Before entering the public sector he worked in bookselling and the arts, including front of house management at the Bristol Old Vic.
Rebecca Fry
Head Judicial Assistant
Rebecca was appointed Head Judicial Assistant at the UK Supreme Court in January 2020.
Rebecca is responsible for leading and managing the team of Judicial Assistants, and is also Judicial Assistant to Lord Lloyd-Jones.
She has a particular interest in the law relating to charities and not-for-profit organisations. From 2016 to 2019, she was Head of Legal Policy at the Charity Commission for England and Wales.
Rebecca was previously an associate at Farrer & Co LLP, where she was recognised by Charity Finance as one of the "top 25 under 35" professional advisers for the charity sector. In 2013, Rebecca was seconded to the Law Commission to work on their Technical Issues in Charity Law reform project.
Rebecca qualified as a solicitor in 2011. She has a law degree from the University of Oxford and an LLM from the University of Toronto.
Paul Sandles
Librarian, Departmental Records Officer and Secretary to the Executive Team
Paul joined the Supreme Court in November 2012.
Paul is responsible for ensuring that the Justices can access the resources necessary to support their research needs. Paul is also the Secretary to the Management Board.
As Departmental Records Officer, Paul is responsible for records and public records legislation as well as information assurance, compliance and data protection.
From 2007, Paul worked with the legal advisers to the Department for Work and Pensions and the Department of Health providing research services to lawyers and policy officials. He spent the initial part of his career working in the public library services of Kent and West Sussex.
Paul is a member of the International Association of Law Librarians and is the Membership Officer for the British and Irish Association of Law Librarians.