The Senior President of Tribunals is a senior judge in the United Kingdom who presides over the UK tribunal system. The Senior President is appointed by the Queen on the recommendation of the Lord Chancellor. Lord Justice Carnwath was appointed as the first holder of the post on 12 November 2007. The Senior President must satisfy the judicial-appointment eligibility condition on a seven-year basis, or have had similar experience in Scotland or Northern Ireland. The Senior President must have regard to the need for the following:

• Tribunals to be accessible
• Proceedings before tribunals to be fair and handled quickly and efficiently
• Members of tribunals to be experts in the subject-matter of, or the law to be applied in, cases in which they decide matters—and the need to develop innovative methods of resolving disputes that are of a type that may be brought before tribunals.