It is with great sadness that Chief Justice Margaret Ramsay-Hale, and the Judges of the Grand Court formally announce the passing of Justice Angus Foster KC, BA, LLB (Hons) in Scotland on Friday 10 January 2025 at the age of 75.
The Chief Justice shared the news of Justice Foster’s passing with the Bar at the Ceremony to mark the Opening of the Grand Court held on Wednesday 8 January 2025. The Chief Justice directed that the flag flown at the Law Courts be lowered to half-mast as a mark of respect by the members of the Judiciary to their former colleague.
Justice Foster was called to the Bar of Scotland in 1975 where he practiced until 1981. In 1981 he was admitted as an attorney-at-law in the Cayman Islands. He worked as an Associate with W.S Walker & Company (now Walkers) between 1981-1986. He became a partner with the firm in 1986 and worked there until his retirement in 2007. Although Justice Foster practiced as a commercial lawyer and litigator, his contribution to the administration of justice in these Islands was wider. An example of this arose while he was head of litigation at Walkers when he offered to set up a criminal practice office to take on legal aid cases. Walkers opened and ran that criminal practice office until the operation was no longer sustainable after Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and the financial crisis of 2008.
Justice Foster sat as an Acting Judge of the Grand Court between 2007 and 2009. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 2009. In the same year, he was appointed as a permanent Judge of the Grand Court, assigned to the Financial Services Division (“FSD”). He was one of the six founding Judges sitting in this highly specialised Division which soon established itself as a center of judicial excellence, recognised by those practicing commercial law around the globe.
In addition to his role as a Judge, Justice Foster served as chairman of the FSD Users’ Committee. According to the then Chief Justice, Sir Anthony Smellie, Justice Foster, “single-handedly” edited the second publication of the FSD Users’ Guide.
Justice Foster also sat in the Civil and Family Divisions of the Grand Court when required and was regarded as a fair judge with abundant common sense.
Justice Foster retired from the Grand Court in 2016. In February 2016, Governor Helen Kilpatrick hosted a well-attended farewell reception in honour of Justice Foster at which she recognised him for his “significant contributions to the administration of justice.” Sir Anthony Smellie described the FSD as a legacy to which Justice Foster could “justly in large part lay claim as one of the pioneer judges” adding “It is not for me to extol the virtues of the FSD, but I think I can be allowed to assert that it has become an effective institution, one now widely recognised as a leading commercial court”.
The judiciary is greatly appreciative of the contributions made by Justice Foster. He was supported by Fiona, his very caring wife. Our thoughts are with Justice Foster’s family at this time.
Contact:
Email: communications@judicial.ky; Suzanne.livingston@judicial.ky
Tel: (345) 325-6927