About Joanna Smith
Born 1968. Joanna Smith is a lawyer and judge.
Dame Joanna Angela Smith, (born 27 April 1968), styled Mrs Justice Smith, is a British High Court judge.
Smith was born in London, England in 1968 and educated at King's Ely. She attended Christ Church, Oxford, matriculating in 1986, and graduated with a first-class MA in jurisprudence. Smith took silk in 2009 and was appointed a deputy High Court judge in 2017. As a practitioner, she appeared in the 2015 Cavendish Square Holding BV v Talal El Makdessi case before the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. Prior to her full-time judicial appointment, she took appointments as an arbitrator. She received the customary damehood in 2020.
In 1994, she married Mark Vanhegan (a fellow KC) and together they have two daughters.
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Important facts
People in Joanna Smith's life
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Contemporaries
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Frequently asked questions
Who is Joanna Smith?
QC 2009; a Deputy High Court Judge, since 2017
When was Joanna Smith born?
Joanna Smith was born on 27 April 1968 in London.
What is Joanna Smith's occupation?
Joanna Smith is a lawyer and judge.
Sources & further reading
· DBpedia: Joanna Smith (judge)
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Joanna Smith. https://biography.guide/joanna-smith-lawyer/
MLA: "Joanna Smith." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/joanna-smith-lawyer/.
Chicago: "Joanna Smith." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/joanna-smith-lawyer/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-25 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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