Karen Steyn

Dame Karen Margaret Steyn, DBE (born 20 October 1970) is a British High Court judge.

Early life and education

Steyn is the daughter of former Lord of Appeal in Ordinary Lord Steyn and his wife Jean Steyn and was born in Cape Town, South Africa and grew up in Kent, England. She was educated at Tonbridge Grammar School and completed a BA in history at the University of Liverpool. Following her bachelor's, she completed a postgraduate law conversion course at City University and she received Middle Temple's Harmsworth Scholarship. She took silk in 2014 and was appointed a deputy High Court judge in 2016. She received the customary damehood in the same year. She serves as a liaison judge for the Administrative Court. In 2021, Steyn along with Lady Justice Nicola Davies and Mrs Justice Jefford comprised the first all-female bench on the Court of Appeal.

Personal life

In 1997, she married Alexander Glassbrook, with whom she has two sons.