Mr Justice Jacob, one of the finest judges in the High Court, has been promoted to the Court of Appeal.
In a move predicted in The Lawyer (5 May), Judge Jacob moves up from the Patent Court to replace Mr Justice Aldous, who steps down after some 15 years as a judge. It is understood that there are no plans to replace Judge Jacob.
Judge Jacob was the favourite and the most senior of the four frontrunners to succeed Judge Aldous. The others were fellow patent judges Mr Justices Laddie, Neuberger and Pumfrey.
The popular Judge Jacob, appointed by the Lord Chancellor before the abolition of his office, has a broad range of chancery experience in addition to his specialist patent knowledge. He will take up his new post in mid-October.
