Profiles in Leadership | Colin Birss
Pleased to share the latest episode of the Penn State Dickinson Law Profiles in Leadership series, featuring Sir Colin Birss, Chancellor of the High Court of England and Wales and incoming Master of the Rolls.
His career is unusual in the best sense of the word. It spans science, computer programming, intellectual property practice, judicial innovation, and leadership at the highest levels of the judiciary.
Our conversation explores how those different experiences shaped the way he approaches law and judging, from studying metallurgy and materials science at Cambridge to becoming one of the United Kingdom’s leading intellectual property judges.
He spoke on the importance of curiosity and adaptability in leadership. We discussed the value of understanding technology rather than being intimidated by it, the role of experimentation and innovation in the courts, the craft of judging and advocacy, and what it means to lead an institution while remaining open to better ways of doing things.
He also reflected on the experiences and people that shaped him, the transition from advocate to judge, and the responsibilities that come with judicial leadership.
It is an engaging and wide-ranging conversation with someone who has helped shape both intellectual property law and the administration of justice in the United Kingdom.
Watch here:
