Hugh Mercer KC has been sworn in as judge in respect of the U.K at the European Court of Human Rights, following his election by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).
The ceremony took place in Strasbourg on Monday, 22 September 2025. Hugh will serve a nine-year term.
Hugh was called to the Bar in 1985 and has practised as a barrister since 1987. Since moving to Essex Court Chambers in 1995, he has focused on international cases in the fields of private and public international law, EU law and human rights. He was also a member of the Bars of Northern Ireland and, as an avocat, Belgium. He took silk in 2008 and was appointed a Deputy High Court Judge in 2018, sitting in the Kings Bench Division and Administrative Court.
The members of Essex Court Chambers warmly congratulate Hugh on this prestigious appointment.
