Frances Margaret Kirkham CBE (born 29 October 1947) is a British judge and former member of the Judicial Appointments Commission.
Kirkham was educated at King's College London where she obtained a BA degree and an AKC qualification, and became a solicitor in 1978. She is also a Chartered Arbitrator. In October 2000 she became a Senior Circuit Judge and is the designated Technology and Construction Court judge in Birmingham. She founded West Midlands Association of Women Solicitors and is a founder member of the UK Association of Women Judges. She was appointed as a member of the Judicial Appointments Commission in January 2006, as a representative for the judiciary.
Kirkham was the coroner at the inquest into the death of six people in the Lakanal House fire.[1]
She was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2011 Birthday Honours.[2]
She has been an international commercial court judge for the Qatar International Court since 2013.[3]